The Lily of Leyden by William Henry Giles Kingston
Produced by Nick Hodson of London, England
The Lily of Leyden, by W.H.G. Kingston.________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________THE LILY OF LEYDEN, BY W.H.G. KINGSTON.
CHAPTER ONE.
The warm sun of a bright spring day, in the year of grace 1574, shonedown on the beautiful city of Leyden, on its spacious squares andstreets and its elegant mansions, its imposing churches, and on thesmooth canals which meandered among them, fed by the waters of thesluggish Rhine. The busy citizens were engaged in their variousoccupations, active and industrious as ever; barges and boats lay at thequays loading or unloading, some having come from Rotterdam, Delft,Amsterdam, and other places on the Zuyder Zee, with which her wateryroads gave her easy communication. The streets were thronged withcitizens of all ranks, some in gay, most in sombre attire, movinghurriedly along, bent rather on business than on pleasure, whilescattered here and there were a few soldiers--freebooters as they werecalled, though steady and reliable--and men of the Burgher Guard,forming part of the garrison of the town. Conspicuous among them mighthave been seen their dignified and brave burgomaster, Adrian Van derWerf, as he walked with stately pace, his daughter Jaqueline,appropriately called the Lily of Leyden, leaning on his arm. She wasfair and graceful as the flower from which she derived her name, herfeatures chiselled in the most delicate mould, her countenanceintelligent and animated, though at present graver than usual. Afterleaving their house in the Broedestrat, the principal street of Leyden,they proceeded towards an elevation in the centre of the city, on thesummit of which rose the ancient tower of Hengist, generally so calledfrom the belief that the Anglo-Saxon conquerors of Britain crossed overfrom Holland. Mynheer Van der Werf and Jaqueline reaching the foot ofthe mound, slowly ascended by a flight of winding steps, till theygained the battlements on the top of the ancient tower, the highest spotfor many miles around. Here they stood for some minutes gazing over thelevel country, of which they commanded a perfect panoramic view. Belowthem lay the city, surrounded by a moat of considerable width and stoutwalls, which had already been proved capable of resisting the attack offoes eager to gain an entrance. Here and there bridges led over themoat, protected by forts of no mean strength. In all directions weresilvery threads glittering in the sun, marking the course of the canalswhich led to Haarlem and Amsterdam on the north, and Delft, Rotterdam,Gouda, and many other towns on the banks of the Yessel and the Meuse onthe south, while occasionally wide shining expanses showed the existenceof meers or lakes of more or less extent, while westward the blue oceancould be seen, and to the south-west Gravenhague, or The Hague, as theplace is more generally called. On every side were smiling villages,blooming gardens, corn-fields, and orchards, betokening the industry andconsequent prosperity of the inhabitants. The city at this time borebut few traces of the protracted siege it had endured for a whole year,and which had been raised only three months before, when the Spanishforce under Valdez, a lieutenant of the ferocious Alva, had beensummoned to the frontier, in consequence of the rumoured approach of apatriot army under Prince Louis of Nassau.
At the period when our story commences, the heroic Prince William ofOrange, loyally aided by his brothers, Louis, Henry, and John, and byother noble patriots, had struggled for seven long years to emancipateHolland from the cruel yoke imposed upon her by the bigot Philip ofSpain and the sanguinary Duke of Alva. Their success had been varied;though frequently defeated, they had again rallied to carry on thedesperate struggle. Several of their most flourishing cities had beenbesieged by the hated foe, some had fallen, and the inhabitants had beenmercilessly slaughtered; others had successfully resisted, and theSpaniards had been compelled to retire from their walls. Count Louishad been defeated in a campaign in Friesland, but had escaped intoGermany, where he had lost no time in endeavouring to raise anotherarmy. The Prince of Orange himself was then in possession of Rotterdam,Delft, and the intermediate country. Between those two cities was theimportant fortress of Polderwaert, which secured him in the control ofthe quadrangle watered on two sides by the Yessel and Maas or Meuse.The Spaniards meantime occupied the coast from the Hague to Vlaardingen,on the bank of the Maas. It should be understood that the countryextending northward from the rivers which have been mentioned towardsLeyden was generally level, and considerably lower than the ocean, whichwas kept out by enormous banks or dykes, and that it had been, by theindustry of the inhabitants, brought under a perfect state ofcultivation. There were certain spots, however, raised slightly abovethe surrounding flat, on all of which villages had been built. Enormoussluices existed at Rotterdam, Schiedam, and other places, by which thesupply of water in the canals could be regulated; over these, as well asthe dykes along the banks of the river, the Prince of Orange heldperfect control. Besides the small force which enabled him to holdRotterdam and Delft, he possessed a fleet of broad, flat-bottomedvessels, well suited for the navigation of the shallow waters ofZealand, where, under the brave and able Admiral Boisot, they were ableto bid defiance to the ships sent against them by the Spaniards. Theircrews consisted of those hardy sons of the ocean who, under the name of"The Beggars of the Sea," had already rendered such good service in thecause of Freedom by the capture of Brill, the first place in Hollandwhere the Prince of Orange was proclaimed Stadtholder, and in many otherenterprises, when, according to their rule, no quarter was given totheir hated foe. Besides Rotterdam, Delft, and Leyden, many other townsin various parts of Holland were garrisoned by the partisans of thePrince of Orange, and had either, with some exceptions, not beenattacked by the Spaniards, or had successfully resisted the forces sentagainst them. Two, unhappily, had fallen; the fearful cruelties towhich their inhabitants had been subjected by their conquerors showedthe others what they must expect should they be unable to hold out. Ofthese, in Naarden, a small city on the coast of the Zuyder Zee, scarcelya man had been left alive, the whole population having been given overto indiscriminate slaughter. Haarlem, after an heroic defence of sevenmonths, had been compelled to capitulate, when, notwithstanding thepromises of Don Frederic, Alva's son, a large number of the principalcitizens, as well as others of all ranks, and every man who had bornearms, were cruelly put to death, the survivors being treated with thegreatest cruelty. The mind shrinks from contemplating such horrors, andthe Hollanders might well desire to emancipate themselves from the ruleof a sovereign capable of allowing them.
The burgomaster and his daughter had stood for some minutes withoutspeaking, their eyes gazing down on the smiling landscape which has beendescribed, yet the minds of neither of them had been engaged in admiringits beauties.
"Would that I had been more determined in endeavouring to induce ourcitizens to level those forts and redoubts left by the Spaniards, andhad also taken steps to re-victual the city and to strengthen ourgarrison. I have just received a letter from our noble Stadtholder,urging me to see to these matters, and I must do so without delay." Theburgomaster, as he spoke, pointed to several redoubts and forts which indifferent directions had been thrown up by the Spaniards during theirformer investment of the place. To the south-east and east were two ofespecial strength--Zoeterwoude and Lammen, the first about 500 yardsfrom the walls, the latter not more than half that distance. From theseforts a bank or causeway ran westward towards the Hague.
"I ought to have exerted all the influence I possessed to get the taskaccomplished," continued the burgomaster. "By God's merciful providencewe were before preserved, but He helps those who, trusting to Him,labour as He would have them. The Spaniards may not return, but it isour duty to be prepared for them, though I trust that we shall soon hearof a glorious victory gained over them by the noble Count
"Heaven defend him and his brave troops," murmured Jaqueline; and shethought of one who had accompanied the Count to the field and who hadfrom his earliest days engaged in the desperate struggle both at sea andon shore. Again the burgomaster was silent, and Jaqueline's thoughtswandered far away to the army of Count Louis. The chief magistrate hadcome up, as was his wont, to consider the measures which it might benecessary to take for the benefit of the city over which he presided.Here, under ordinary circumstances, he was not likely to be interruptedby visitors. Jaqueline's thoughts were recalled to the present momentby hearing a light footstep ascending the stairs of the tower. A youngboy appeared, whose dress showed that he belonged to the upper orders,his countenance animated and intelligent. "Why, Albert Van der Does,what has brought you here in so great a hurry?" asked Jaqueline, as shecast a glance at the boy's handsome face glowing with the exertion hehad made.
"I had gone to your house, and finding that you had come up here, Ithought you would give me leave to follow you," he answered.
"You have taken the leave, at all events," she said, smiling; "but whatobject had you in coming here this morning?"
"A very important one; I want you to accept the remainder of my pigeons;those I before gave you have become so tame and look so happy that I amunwilling to deprive the others of the privilege of belonging to you."
"Is it only affection for your feathered friends that induces you tomake me the offer?" she asked, archly.
"I confess that I have another reason," he answered. "I shall no longerhave time to attend to my pets; I heard my father say that we shall soonbe engaged in more stirring work than we have had since the Spaniardsmarched to the eastward. As soon as Count Louis forms a junction withthe Prince, every person capable of bearing arms should be prepared toengage in the struggle, and I want, therefore, to practice the use ofweapons and to learn to be a soldier."
"You will make a brave one, I am sure," said Jaqueline.
"And will you accept my birds?" asked Albert.
"I cannot refuse what you so freely offer, though, if you repent, youshall have them again," said Jaqueline.
"Then may I bring them to you this evening?" asked Albert.
"Thank you, Albert; we are always glad to see you; and if you bring yourpigeons, I promise to train and pet them as I have those you before gaveme," she answered.
"Then I will come this very evening, with your cousin Berthold, whom Ileft at his books in my father's study. Fond as he is of his books, hesays that he must lay them aside to learn the use of arms with me; foras soon as Count Louis appears, we intend to go out and join him. Wehave but a short time to prepare, as, before many days are over, theCount and his army will have fought their way to Delft, and we mustcommence the work of driving the Spaniards out of our country or intothe rivers and meers, where they have sent so many of our braveHollanders."
Jaqueline smiled approvingly, admiring, as she did, the enthusiasm ofthe gallant boy, so consonant with her own feelings.
"I am much obliged to you for your readiness to accept my birds, and nowI must deliver a message I have brought from my father to theburgomaster. My father desires to see him about the fortifications, andas he bade me say that the matter is of importance, I ought to havegiven it first."
The burgomaster had been so pre-occupied with his own thoughts that hehad not observed young Albert Van der Does, and now started as the boyaddressed him with that deference due to his age and rank.
"Tell your father that I will at once visit him. Although a man ofletters and devoted to study, I know that he possesses, among his othertalents, a military genius, which makes me value his opinion; say alsothat it is the very subject which has been occupying my thoughts."
"My father is more out of spirits than I have ever seen him," saidAlbert. "It is owing to a letter he lately received from a friend atUtrecht, detailing an extraordinary circumstance which occurred in thatcity some time ago. It is said that five soldiers of the Burgher Guardwere on their midnight watch, when, the rest of the sky being as dark aspitch, they observed, directly over their heads, a clear space, equal inextent to the length of the city, and of several yards in width.Suddenly two armies, in battle array were seen advancing upon eachother; one moved rapidly up from the north-west, with banners waving,spears flashing, trumpets sounding, accompanied by heavy artillery andsquadrons of cavalry; the other came slowly from the south-east. Theyat length met and joined in a desperate conflict for a few moments; theshouts of the combatants, the heavy discharge of cannon, the rattle ofmusketry, the tramp of foot soldiers, the rush of cavalry, weredistinctly heard. The very firmament trembled with the shock of thecontending hosts, and was lurid with the fire of their artillery. Thenthe north-western army was beaten back in disorder, but, rallying again,formed into solid column, and once more advanced towards thesouth-eastern army, which was formed into a closely-serried square, withspears and muskets. Once more the fight raged, and the sounds wereheard as distinctly as before; the struggle was but short, the lances ofthe south-eastern army snapped like hemp-sticks, and their firm columnswent down together in mass beneath the onset of their foes. Theoverthrow was complete. Scarcely had the victors and vanquishedvanished, than the clear blue space where they had stood appearedsuddenly streaked with broad crimson streams flowing athwart the sky.The five soldiers reported the next day what they had witnessed to themagistrates of Utrecht, who examined them separately, and each swore towhat he had seen. My father said that he should not have been inclinedto believe the account had not the evidence been so strong in favour ofits truth."
"This is strange," observed the burgomaster. "Your father willassuredly show me the letter, and I shall then the better be able tojudge how far I can give the account credence. We know that strangeportents have appeared in the sky before great events, at the same timethese men of the Burgher Guard may have allowed their imaginations torun riot. They knew that a battle was likely ere long to take placeshould the Spaniards attempt to impede the march of Count Louis, andsome passing clouds may have appeared to them to represent the scenethey have described. Grant that they beheld something extraordinary,yet they may have been mistaken, and the south-eastern army--for fromthat direction the Count must be advancing--may prove victorious."
"My father would fain hope as you do, Mynheer Van der Werf, but hisfriend, one of the magistrates of Utrecht, fully believes in theapparition, and has imbued him with his own desponding spirit."
"Bear to him my regards, and beg him to cheer up," said the burgomaster."He must not allow his brave spirit to be agitated by a tale which mayafter all have originated in the heated imaginations of a few ignorantmen. Had the whole city witnessed the spectacle it might have beendifferent."
While the burgomaster and Jaqueline were looking out from the summit ofHengist's tower, two gentlemen approached it from opposite directions;the one was of good figure, handsomely dressed in silken doublet andcloak, with a feather in his cap, and a rapier, apparently more forornament than use, by his side. He walked with no laggard step, lookingup ever and anon towards the top of the tower. The other came on atstill greater speed, his appearance contrasting greatly with that of thefirst; a heavy sword hung by his side, and over his shoulders was anorange sash, which partly covered a breastplate showing many a deepdent, while his dress was travel-stained and bespattered with dark redmarks, while his frank and open countenance wore an expression of griefand anxiety. The two as they met exchanged salutes, the manner of thelatter being hurried, as if he desired not to be stopped.
"Why, what has happened, Captain Van der Elst?" exclaimed the younggallant who has just been introduced.
"I am in search of the burgomaster, and have been told that he was seengoing to the Tower of Hengist," said the other, without answering thequestion.
"I am also bound there, and will gladly accompany you," was the reply.
"Pardon me, Van Arenberg, but the business I am on is of too greatimportance to brook delay." And
The young officer, his feelings almost mastering him, could withdifficulty reply, "Count Louis with his brother, Count Henry, the braveDuke Christopher, and the whole army have been annihilated. We met thefoe near the village of Mookie, where we were hemmed in; in vain wetried to cut our way through the ranks of the Spaniards. Count Louis,his brother, and Duke Christopher, with four thousand gallant men, fellin the attempt. I had just before been despatched to make a circuit inorder to get upon the enemy's flank, which I was ordered to attack.Before I could reach it the day was lost; the victorious cavalry of theSpaniards charged over the field, butchering all they met. Many of ourmen were suffocated in the marshes or in the river, and others wereburnt in the farmhouses where they had taken refuge. Finding thatsuccess was hopeless, and that I could do nothing to retrieve the day, Idrew off my shattered troop, and I have deemed it my duty to hasten onto warn the inhabitants of Leyden that the enemy are rapidly advancingagain to lay siege to their walls." At first the burgomaster seemedinclined to discredit the intelligence.
"Surely all could not have been destroyed, some of the soldiers may havecut their way through, and escaped as you have done?" Karl shook hishead.
"I obtained too distinct a view of the fatal field to allow me toindulge in such a hope," he answered. "I would gladly have sought foran honourable death myself among my friends had I not reflected that thesafety of my brave band depended on me, and that we might yet renderservice to our country."
While he was speaking, Baron Van Arenberg joined the party, and, aftersaluting Jaqueline in a self-confident manner, stood listening with asupercilious air to the young soldier.
"That you have escaped from the field, Captain Van der Elst, is evident;but I fain would doubt that so many brave men would have yielded to theSpaniards," he observed.
"They yielded not to the Spaniards, but to death," answered Captain Vander Elst. "I myself visited the field of slaughter at night, when theSpaniards had withdrawn, in search of my beloved leader. His body, ifit was there, lay among the heaps of slain, most of whom had beenstripped by rapacious plunderers, and disfigured by the hoofs of theenemy's horses."
"I believe your report, captain," said the burgomaster, stretching outhis hand and pressing that of Van der Elst. "Our duty is clear, not amoment is to be lost in preparing for the defence of our city, and theburghers of Leyden must resist to the last. You will remain and aid uswith your advice?"
"Would that I could," answered Karl, glancing for a moment at Jaqueline;"but I must hasten to the Prince of Orange, to give him a full accountof the events which have taken place, and to receive his orders.Bereaved as he is of his brothers, it is the duty of every true-heartedman to rally round him."
"You are right," said the burgomaster; "but I must beg you to bear amessage from me to the Prince, requesting that he will allow you toreturn, and, if possible, to bring some men-at-arms with you. Laybefore him the weak state of our garrison; say that we have but fivecompanies of the Burgher Guard and a small corps of freebooters; butthat our walls are strong, the hearts of our citizens staunch, and thatthey will, I feel assured, fly to arms the instant they receive thesummons. Assure him that we will endeavour to imitate the example ofthe brave citizens of Alkmaar, and hold out till he can send ussuccour."
"I will faithfully deliver your message, mynheer, and you may restassured that if it depends on my freedom of action I will gladly returnto render you such assistance as I can give," answered Captain Van derElst, his countenance brightening as he spoke, his eyes once moreturning towards Jaqueline, who, with Baron Van der Arenberg and Albert,stood a little distance apart.
"The citizens of Leyden can well dispense with the service of one who,by his own showing, seems to have fled from the scene of battle,"whispered Van Arenberg to Jaqueline in too low a tone for Captain Vander Elst to hear him. On hearing this, without replying, she turnedaway, and moved closer to her father.
"He is as brave a soldier as ever lived," exclaimed Albert, who hadoverheard the remark, his countenance flushing as he spoke. "My fatherknows and admires him, and was only the other day speaking of the manygallant deeds he has performed. He was with De la Marck on board thefleet of the `Beggars of the Sea,' when they captured Brill, he was atFlushing when the standard of liberty was raised there, he assisted inthe defence of Alkmaar, and I scarcely know how many sea battles he hasbeen engaged in, while he served with Prince Louis during his campaignin Friesland; and I am very sure that it was his good fortune, or ratherhis courage and discretion, enabled him to escape from the Battle ofMookerheyde."
The Lily's bright eyes sparkled, and she gave Albert an approving lookas he was speaking.
"You would make out this young captain a very Amadis," said VanArenberg, in a sarcastic tone. "Your father must have obtained thereport of his heroic deeds from himself I suspect, for I never heard himspoken of in the same laudatory manner."
"Why, Baron, one would suppose, from the way you speak, that you werejealous of him," said Albert, with the boldness of a brave boy who feltthat he was defending a maligned friend. "You insinuate that he ranaway from Mookerheyde, and I am very sure that he did nothing of thesort. He went back to the field to look for the dead bodies of theCount and his brother, and he could not have done that without running agreat risk of being killed or taken prisoner, and it was not till he hadassured himself of the sad fact that Count Louis and the rest were deadthat he led off his men, and came here to give us warning that we mightprepare for the enemy."
The baron, whose features were flushed with annoyance, for Jaquelineoverheard all that was said, was about to make an angry reply, when theburgomaster called Albert. "Hasten to your father, my good Albert,break the sad news you have heard, and say that I shall esteem it afavour if he will come forthwith to meet me at the council hall, as Iwould desire to have some time to speak with him on these matters beforethe rest of the councillors arrive. I will, on my way, send round tosummon them, as we must lose no time in preparing to defend our city."
Albert, with the activity of youth, leaped down the steps, while theburgomaster prepared to descend with greater caution. "Baron VanArenberg," he said, "I must request you to escort my daughter to herhome, while Captain Van der Elst accompanies me to the Stadhuis, as wehave matters of importance to discuss on our way. I hope that you willafterwards join us there, and will offer your services to aid in thedefence of the place."
Baron Van Arenberg expressed the honour and pleasure he felt at thecharge committed to him, although Jaqueline, while bowing her head inacquiescence, showed by her manner that the arrangement afforded her noespecial satisfaction. The Lily, as may be conjectured, had manyadmirers, for not only was she fair and graceful, with a sweetdisposition, but it was supposed that she would inherit the wealth ofthe burgomaster; hitherto, however, as far as was known, her heart wasuntouched, and she had favoured no one.