 Section 59 of Germany, the Netherlands, and Switzerland. This is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer, please visit LibriVox.org. Recording by Philip Watson. The World's Story, Volume 7. Germany, the Netherlands, and Switzerland. Edited by Eva March-Tappen. Section 59. The Siege of Leiden. 1574. By John Lothrop Motley. This city was one of the most beautiful in the Netherlands. Placed in the midst of broad, fruitful pastures, which had been reclaimed by the hand of industry from the bottom of the sea, it was fringed with smiling villages, blooming gardens, fruitful orchards. The ancient and at last decrepit Rhine, flowing languidly towards its sandy deathbed, had been multiplied into innumerable artificial currents, by which the city was completely interlaced. These watery streets were shaded by lime trees, poplars, and willows, and crossed by 145 bridges, mostly of hammered stone. The houses were elegant, the squares and streets spacious, airy, and clean, the churches and public edifices imposing, while the whole aspect of the place suggested thrift, industry, and comfort. Upon an artificial elevation, in the center of the city, rose a ruined tower of unknown antiquity. By some it was considered to be of Roman origin, while others preferred to regard it as a work of the Anglo-Saxon Hengist, raised to commemorate his conquest of England. Surrounded by fruit trees and overgrown in the center with oaks, it afforded from its mouldering battlements a charming prospect over a wide expanse of level country, with the spires of neighboring cities rising in every direction. It was from this commanding height, during the long and terrible summer days which were approaching, that many an eye was to be strained anxiously seaward, watching if yet the ocean had begun to roll over the land. In 1574, the Spaniards, under Don Francis Valdez, besieged Leiden and built so many redoubts around the city that there was no hope of succor coming to it by land. Food was already becoming scarce when Philip offered to pardon his airing subjects, if they would give up their religion and return to the Roman Catholic Church. Half starving as they were, they refused. William of Orange held the fortress of Voldemort. Between him and the besieged city, a precarious communication was kept up by carrier pigeons and venturesome messengers called jumpers. The Netherlanders were weak on land, but on the sea they were irresistible, and William believed that the only way to save the city was to break down the dykes, open the sluice gates, and allow the ocean to roll over the country. Then their fleet could sail over the submerged land and bring relief to the famishing city. The Hollenders agreed. Better a drowned land than a lost land, they cried. Money, plate, and jewelry poured in that the work might progress. The dykes were pierced, and the waters poured over the country. Admiral Boysett, with 800 sea beggars, as the rebel sailors were called, set out boldly on the new ocean to carry food to Leiden. But when almost within sight of the city, the boats ran aground. 18 inches of water were needed to float them, and there was no chance of getting it unless the wind should shift to the west and roll the ocean in through the gaps in the dykes. Meantime the besieged city was at its last gasp. The burgers had been in a state of uncertainty for many days, being aware that the fleet had set forth for their relief, but knowing full well the thousand obstacles which it had to surmount. They had guessed its progress by the illumination from the blazing villages. They had heard its salvos of artillery on its arrival at North Ah, but since then all had been dark and mournful again, hope and fear, and sickening alternation, distracting every breast. They knew that the wind was unfavorable, and at the dawn of each day every eye was turned wistfully to the veins of the steeples. So long as the easterly breeze prevailed, they felt as they anxiously stood on towers and housetops, that they must look in vain for the welcome ocean. Yet while thus patiently waiting, they were literally starving, for even the misery endured at Harlem had not reached that depth and intensity of agony to which Leiden was now reduced. Bread, malt cake, horse flesh had entirely disappeared. Dogs, cats, rats, and other vermin were esteemed luxuries. A small number of cows, kept as long as possible for their milk, still remained, but a few were killed from day to day and distributed in minute proportions, hardly sufficient to support life among the famishing population. Starving wretches swarmed daily around the shambles where these cattle were slaughtered, contending for any morsel which might fall and lapping eagerly the blood as it ran along the pavement, while the hides chocked and boiled were greedily devoured. Women and children all day long were seen searching gutters and dung-hills for morsels of food, which they disputed fiercely with the famishing dogs. The green leaves were stripped from the trees, every living herb was converted into human food, but these expedients could not avert starvation. The daily mortality was frightful. Infants starved to death on the maternal breasts, which famine had parched and withered. Mothers dropped dead in the streets with their dead children in their arms. In many a house the watchmen, in their rounds, found a whole family of corpses, father, mother, and children, side by side, for a disorder called the plague, naturally engendered of hardship and famine, now came, as if in kindness to abridge the agony of the people. The pestilence stalked at noonday through the city, and the doomed inhabitants fell like grass beneath its scythe. From six thousand to eight thousand human beings sank before this scourge alone, yet the people resolutely held out, women and men mutually encouraging each other to resist the entrance of the foreign foe, an evil more horrible than pest or famine. The missives from Valdez, who saw more vividly than the besieged could do the uncertainty of his own position, now poured daily into the city, the enemy becoming more prodigal of his vows as he felt that the ocean might yet save the victims from his grasp. The inhabitants in their ignorance had gradually abandoned their hopes of relief, but they spurned the summons to surrender. Leiden was sublime in its despair, a few murmurs were, however, occasionally heard at the steadfastness of the magistrates, and a dead body was placed at the door of the burgan master, as a silent witness against his inflexibility. A party of the more faint-hearted even assailed the heroic Adrian von Dewerff with threats and reproaches as he passed through the streets. A crowd had gathered around him as he reached a triangular place in the center of the town, into which many of the principal streets emptied themselves, and upon one side of which stood the Church of St. Pancras, with its high brick tower surmounted by two pointed turrets, and with two ancient lime trees at its entrance. There stood the burgan master, a tall, haggard, imposing figure with dark visage and a tranquil but commanding eye. He waved his broadleaved felt hat for silence, and an exclaimed in language which has been almost literally preserved. What would ye, my friends? Why do ye murmur that we do not break our vows and surrender the city to the Spaniards, a fate more horrible than the agony which he now endures? I tell you I have made an oath to hold the city, and may God give me strength to keep my oath. I can die but once, whether by your hands, the enemies, or by the hand of God. My own fate is indifferent to me, not so that of the city entrusted to my care. I know that we shall starve if not soon relieved, but starvation is preferable to the dishonored death which is the only alternative. Your menaces move me not. My life is at your disposal. Here is my sword. Plunge it into my breast and divide my flesh among you. Take my body to appease your hunger, but expect no surrender, so long as I remain alive. The words of the stout burgan master inspired a new courage in the hearts of those who heard him, and a shout of applause and defiance arose from the famishing but enthusiastic crowd. They left the place after exchanging new vows of fidelity with their magistrate, and again ascended tower in battlement to watch for the coming fleet. From the ramparts they hurled renewed defiance to the enemy. He called us rat eaters and dog eaters, they cried, and it is true. So long then as you hear dog bark or cat mew within the walls, you may know that the city holds out. And when all has perished but ourselves, be sure that we will each devour our left arm, retaining our right to defend our women, our liberty, and our religion against the foreign tyrant. Should God in his wrath doom us to destruction and deny us all relief, even then will we maintain ourselves forever against your entrance. When the last hour has come with our own hands, we will set fire to the city and perish, men, women, and children together in the flames, rather than suffer our homes to be polluted and our liberties to be crushed. Such words of defiance thundered daily from the battlements, sufficiently informed Valdez as to his chance of conquering the city, either by force or fraud, but at the same time he felt comparatively relieved by the inactivity of Boisette's fleet, which still lay stranded at North Ah. As well shouted the Spaniards derisively to the citizens, as well can the Prince of Orange pluck the stars from the sky as bring the ocean to the walls of Leiden for your relief. On the 28th of September, a dove flew into the city, bringing a letter from Admiral Boisette. In this dispatch, the position of the fleet at North Ah was described in encouraging terms, and the inhabitants were assured that in a very few days at farthest, the long expected relief would enter their gates. The letter was read publicly upon the marketplace, and the bells were rung for joy. Nevertheless, on the morrow, the veins pointed to the east, the waters, so far from rising, continued to sink, and Admiral Boisette was almost in despair. He wrote to the Prince that if the spring tide, now to be expected, should not, together with a strong and favorable wind, come immediately to their relief, it would be in vain to attempt anything further, and that the expedition would have necessity be abandoned. The tempest came to their relief. A violent equinoctial gale, on the night of the first and second of October, came storming from the northwest, shifting after a few hours, full eight points, and then blowing still more violently from the southwest. The waters of the North Sea were piled in vast masses upon the southern coast of Holland, and then dashed furiously landward, the ocean rising over the earth, and sweeping with unrestrained power across the ruined dykes. In the course of twenty-four hours, the fleet at North Ah, instead of nine inches, had more than two feet of water. No time was lost. The Kirk Way, which had been broken through, according to the Prince's instructions, was now completely overflowed, and the fleet sailed at midnight in the midst of the storm and darkness. A few sentinel vessels of the enemy challenged them as they steadily rode towards Zutrawalde. The answer was a flash from Boyce's cannon, lighting up the black waste of waters. There was a fierce midnight battle, a strange spectacle among the branches of those quiet orchards, and with the chimney stacks of half-submerged farmhouses rising around the contending vessels. The neighboring village of Zutrawalde shook with the discharges of the Zeelanders' cannon, and the Spaniards assembled in that fortress knew that the rebel admiral was at last to float and on his course. The enemy's vessels were soon sunk, and their crews hurled into the waves, on went the fleet, sweeping over the broad waters which lay between Zutrawalde and Zuitun. As they approached some shallows which led into the great mare, the Zeelanders dashed into the sea, and with sheer strength shouldered every vessel through. Two obstacles lay still in their path, the forts of Zutrawalde and Laman, distant from the city, 500 and 250 yards respectively. Strong redoubts, both well supplied with troops in artillery, they were likely to give a rough reception to the light flotilla, but the panic, which had hitherto driven their foes before the advancing patriots, had reached Zutrawalde. Finally was the fleet in sight, when the Spaniards, in the early morning, poured out from the fortress, and fled precipitately to the left, along a road which led in a westerly direction toward the Hague. Their narrow path was rapidly vanishing in the waves, and hundreds sank beneath the constantly deepening and treacherous flood. The wild Zeelanders, too, sprang from their vessels upon the crumbling dyke, and drove their retreating foes into the sea. They hurled their harpoons at them with an accuracy acquired in many a polar chase. They plunged into the waves in the keen pursuit, attacking them with boat-hook and dagger. The numbers who thus fell beneath these Corsairs, who neither gave nor took quarter, were never counted, but probably not less than a thousand perished. The rest affected their escape to the Hague. The first fortress was thus seized, dismantled, set on fire, and passed, and a few strokes of the oars brought the whole fleet close to Laman. This last object rose formidable and frowning directly across their path. Swarming as it was with soldiers and bristling with artillery, it seemed to defy the Armada, either to carry it by storm or to pass under its guns into the city. It appeared that the Enterprise was, after all, to founder within sight of the long-expecting and expected Haven. Boiset anchored his fleet within a respectful distance, and spent what remained of the day in carefully reconnoitering the fort, which seemed only too strong. In conjunction with Laderdorp, the headquarters of Valdez, a mile-and-a-half distant on the right, and within a mile of the city, it seemed so insuparable an impediment that Boiset wrote in despondent tone to the Prince of Orange. He announced his intention of carrying the fort if it were possible on the following morning, but if obliged to retreat, he observed, with something like despair, that there would be nothing for it but to wait for another gale of wind. If the waters should rise sufficiently to enable them to make a wide detour, it might be possible, if, in the meantime, Leiden did not starve or surrender, to enter its gates from the opposite side. Meantime, the citizens had grown wild with expectation. A dove had been dispatched by Boiset, informing them of his precise position, and a number of citizens accompanied the Bergenmaster at nightfall towards the Tower of Hengest. Yander cried the Bergenmaster, stretching out his hand towards Laman. Yander, behind that fort, our bread and meat and brethren and thousands, shall all this be destroyed by the Spanish guns, or shall we rush to the rescue of our friends? We will tear the fortress to fragments with our teeth and nails, was the reply, before the relief so long expected shall be rested from us. It was resolved that a sortee, in conjunction with the operations of Boiset, should be made against Laman with the earliest dawn. Night descended upon the scene, a pitch-dark night full of anxiety to the Spaniards, to the Armada, to Leiden. Strange sights and sounds occurred at different moments to bewilder the anxious sentinels. A long procession of lights issuing from the fort was seen to flip across the black face of the waters in the dead of night, and the hole of the city wall between the cow gate and the Tower of Burgundy fell with a loud crash. The horror-struck citizens thought that the Spaniards were upon them at last. The Spaniards imagined the noise to indicate a desperate sortee of the citizens. Everything was vague and mysterious. Day dawned at length, after the feverish night, and the Admiral prepared for the assault. Within the fortress reigned a death-like stillness, which inspired a sickening suspicion. Had the city indeed been carried in the night, had the massacre already commenced, had all this labor and audacity been expended in vain, suddenly a man was described, wading, breast-high through the water from Laman toward the fleet, while at the same time one solitary boy was seen to wave his cap from the summit of the fort. After a moment of doubt, the happy mystery was solved. The Spaniards had fled, panic struck, during the darkness. Their position would still have enabled them, with firmness, to frustrate the enterprise of the Patriots, but the hand of God, which had sent the ocean and the tempest to the deliverance of laden, had struck her enemies with terror likewise. The lights which had been seen moving during the night were the lanterns of the retreating Spaniards, and the boy, who was now waving his triumphant signal from the battlements, had alone witnessed the spectacle. So confident was he, in the conclusion to which it led him, that he had volunteered at daybreak to go thither, all alone. The magistrates, fearing a trap, hesitated for a moment to believe the truth, which soon, however, became quite evident. Valdez, flying himself from Laderdorp, had ordered Colonel Borja to retire with all his troops from Laman. Thus the Spaniards had retreated at the very moment that an extraordinary accident had laid bare a whole side of the city for their entrance. The noise of the wall, as it fell, only inspired them with fresh alarm, for they believed that the citizens had sallied forth in the darkness to aid the advancing flood and the work of destruction. All obstacles, being now removed, the fleet of boysits swept by Laman, and entered the city on the morning of the 3rd of October. Laden was relieved. The quays were lined with the famishing population as the fleet rode through the canals, every human being who could stand coming forth to greet the preservers of the city. Bread was thrown from every vessel among the crowd. The poor creatures, who for two months had tasted no wholesome human food, and who had literally been living within the jaws of death, snatched eagerly the blessed gift at last to liberally bestowed. Many choked themselves to death and the greediness with which they devoured their bread. Others became ill with the effect of plenty, thus suddenly succeeding starvation. But these were isolated cases, a repetition of which was prevented. The admiral, stepping ashore, was welcomed by the magistracy, and a solemn procession was immediately formed. Magistrates and citizens, wild zealanders, emaciated burger guards, sailors, soldiers, women, children, nearly every living person within the walls, all repaired without delay to the great church. The starving and heroic city, which had been so firm in its resistance to an earthly king, now bent itself an humble gratitude before the king of kings. After prayers, the whole vast congregation joined in the thanksgiving hymn. Thousands of voices raised the song, but few were able to carry it to its conclusion, for the universal emotion, deepened by the music, became too full for utterance. The hymn was abruptly suspended, while the multitude wept like children. This scene of honest pathos terminated, the necessary measures for distributing the food and for relieving the sick were taken by the magistracy. A note dispatched to the Prince of Orange was received by him at two o'clock, as he sat in church at Delft. It was of a somewhat different purport than that of the letter which he had received early in the same day from Voisit, the letter in which the admiral had informed him that the success of the enterprise depended, after all, upon the desperate assault, upon a nearly impregnable fort. The joy of the Prince may be easily imagined, and so soon as the sermon was concluded, he handed the letter just received to the minister to be read to the congregation. Thus all participated in his joy, and united with him in thanksgiving. End of Section 59. The News of Andrew's Death had been brought to Delft by a special messenger from the French court. On Sunday morning, the 8th of July, 1584, the Prince of Orange, having read the dispatches before leaving his bed, caused the man who had brought them to be summoned, that he might give some particular details by word of mouth concerning the last illness of the Duke. The courier was accordingly admitted to the Prince's bed-chamber, and proved to be one Francis Guillaume, as he called himself. This man had, early in the spring, claimed and received the protection of Orange on the ground of being the son of a Protestant at Besançon, who had suffered death for his religion, and of his own ardent attachment to the reformed faith. A pious, psalm-singing, thoroughly Calvinistic youth he seemed to be, having a Bible or a hymn-book under his arm whenever he walked the street, and most exemplary in his attendance at sermon and lecture. For the rest, a singularly unobtrusive personage, twenty-seven years of age, low of stature, meager, mean-visaged, muddy complexion, and altogether a man of no account, quite insignificant in the eyes of all who looked upon him. If there were one opinion in which the few who had taken the trouble to think of the puny somewhat shambling stranger from Burgundy at all coincided, it was that he was inoffensive, but quite incapable of any important business. He seemed well-educated, claimed to be of respectable parentage, and had considerable facility of speech when any person could be found who thought it worthwhile to listen to him. But on the whole he attracted little attention. Nevertheless, this insignificant frame locked up a desperate and daring character. This mild and inoffensive nature had gone pregnant seven years with a terrible crime, whose birth could not much longer be retarded. Francis Guillaume, the Calvinist, son of a martyred Calvinist, was in reality Balthazar Girard, a fanatical Catholic whose father and mother were still living at Villafont in Burgundy. Before reaching Man's estate, he had formed the design of murdering the Prince of Orange, who, so long as he lived, seemed like to remain a rebel against the Catholic king, and to make every effort to disturb the repose of the Roman Catholic apostolic religion. When but twenty years of age he had struck his dagger with all his might into a door, exclaiming, as he did so, would that the blow had been in the heart of Orange. For this he was rebuked by a bystander who told him it was not for him to kill princes, and that it was not desirable to destroy so good a captain as the prince who, after all, might one day reconcile himself with the king. As soon as the ban against Orange was published, Balthazar, more anxious than ever to execute his long cherished design, left Dole and came to Luxembourg. Here he learned that the deed had already been done by John Joragy. He received this intelligence at first with a sensation of relief, was glad to be excused from putting himself in danger, and believing the prince dead, took service as clerk with one John Duprel, secretary to Count Mansfeld, governor of Luxembourg. Air long, the ill-success of Joragy's attempt becoming known, the inveterate determination of Gerard aroused itself more fiercely than ever. He accordingly took models of Mansfeld's official seals and wax in order that he might make use of them as an acceptable offering to the Orange Party, whose confidence he meant to gain. Various circumstances detained him, however. A sum of money was stolen, and he was forced to stay till it was found for fear of being arrested as the thief. Then his cousin and employer fell sick, and Gerard was obliged to wait for his recovery. At last, in March 1584, the weather, as he said, appearing to be fine, Balthazar left Luxembourg and came to Trev. While there he confided his scheme to the regent of the Jesuit College, a red-haired man whose name has not been preserved. The dignitary expressed high approbation of the plan, gave Gerard his blessing and promised him that if his life should be sacrificed in achieving his purpose, he would be enrolled among the martyrs. Another Jesuit, however, in the same college with whom he likewise communicated, held very different language, making great efforts to turn the young man from his design on the ground of the inconveniences which might arise from the foraging of Mansfeld's seals, adding that neither he nor any of the Jesuits liked to meddle with such affairs, but advising that the whole matter be laid before the Prince of Parma. It does not appear that this personage, an excellent man and a learned, attempted to dissuade the young man from his project by arguments drawn from any supposed criminality in the assassination itself, or from any danger, temporal or eternal, to which the perpetrator might expose himself. Not influenced, as it appears, except on one point by the advice of the second ghostly confessor, Balthazar came to Tornay and held counsel with a third, the celebrated Franciscan, Father Jerry, by whom he was much comforted and strengthened in his determination. His next step was to lay the project before Parma, as the excellent and learned Jesuit at Trev had advised, this he did by a letter drawn up with much care and which he evidently thought well of as a composition. At one copy of this letter he deposited with the guardian of the Franciscan convent at Tornay, the other he presented with his own hand to the Prince of Parma. The Vassal said he ought always to prefer justice and the will of the King to his own life. That being the case, he expressed his astonishment that no man had yet been found to execute the sentence against William of Nassau, except the gentle the Skaen since defunct. To accomplish the task, Balthazar observed very judiciously that it was necessary to have access to the person of the Prince, wherein consisted the difficulty. Those who had that advantage, he continued, were therefore bound to extirpate the pest at once without obliging his majesty to send to Rome for a chivalier, because not one of them was willing to precipitate himself into the venomous gulf which by its contagion infected and killed the souls and bodies of all poor abused subjects exposed to its influence. Gerard avowed himself to have been so long goaded and stimulated by these considerations, so extremely netdled with displeasure and bitterness at seeing the obstinate wretch still escaping his just judgment as to have formed the design of baiting a trap for the fox, hoping thus to gain access to him and to take him unawares. He added, without explaining the nature of the trap and the bait, that he deemed it his duty to lay the subject before the most serene Prince of Parma, protesting at the same time that he did not contemplate the exploit for the sake of the reward mentioned in the sentence, and that he preferred trusting in that regard to the immense liberality of his majesty. Parma had long been looking for a good man to murder Orange, feeling as Philip, Granville, and all former governors of the Netherlands had felt that this was the only means of saving the royal authority in any part of the provinces. Many unsatisfactory assassins had presented themselves from time to time, and Alexander had paid money in hand to various individuals—Italians, Spaniards, Lorainers, Scotchmen, Englishmen—who had generally spent the sums received without attempting the job. Others were supposed to be still engaged in the enterprise, and at that moment there were four persons, each unknown to the others and of different nations, in the city of Delft seeking to compass the death of William the Silent. Shag-eared military Hirsut Ruffians, ex-captains of free companies and such marauders, were daily offering their services. There was no lack of them, and they had done but little. How should Parma, seeing this obscure, undersized, thin-bearded, runaway clerk before him, expect pith and energy from him? He thought him quite unfit for an enterprise of moment, and declared as much to his secret counsellors and to the king. He soon dismissed him after receiving his letters, and it may be supposed that the bombastic style of that epistle would not efface the unfavorable impression produced by Balthazar's exterior. The representations of Old Penn and others induced him so far to modify his views as to send his confidential counsellor, Asson-Leville, to the stranger, in order to learn the details of the scheme. Asson-Leville had, accordingly, an interview with Gerard, in which he requested the young man to draw up a statement of his plan in writing, and this was done upon 11 April 1584. In this letter, Gerard explained his plan of introducing himself to the notice of Orange, adelfed as the son of an executed Calvinist, as himself warmly, though secretly, devoted to the reformed faith, and as desirous, therefore, of placing himself in the prince's service in order to avoid the insolence of the papists. Having gained the confidence of those about the prince, he would suggest to them the great use which might be made of Mansfeld's signet in forging passports for spies and other persons whom it might be desirous to send into the territory of the royalists. With these or similar faints and frivolities, continued Gerard, he should soon obtain access to the person of the said Nassau. Repeating his protestation that nothing had moved him to his enterprise, saved the good zeal which he bore to the faith and true religion guarded by the Holy Mother Church Catholic, Apostolic and Roman, and to the service of his majesty. He begged pardon for having perloined the impressions of the seals, a turpitude which he never would have committed, but would sooner have suffered a thousand deaths except for the great end in view. He particularly wished forgiveness for that crime before going to his task in order that he might confess and receive the Holy Communion at the coming Easter without scruples of conscience. He likewise begged the Prince of Parma to obtain for him absolution from his holiness for this crime of pilfering, the more so as he was about to keep company for some time with heretics and atheists, and in some sort to conform himself to their customs. From the general tone of the letters of Gerard, he might be set down at once as a simple religious fanatic who felt sure that in executing the command of Philip publicly issued to all the murders of Europe he was meriting well of God and his king. There is no doubt that he was an exalted enthusiast, but not purely an enthusiast. The man's character offers more than one point of interest as a psychological phenomenon. He had convinced himself that the work which he had in hand was eminently meritorious, and he was utterly without fear of consequences. He was, however, by no means so disinterested as he chose to represent himself in letters which, as he instinctively felt, were to be of perennial interest. On the contrary, in his interviews with Asselinville, he urged that he was a poor fellow and that he had undertaken this enterprise in order to acquire property, to make himself rich, and that he depended upon the Prince of Parma's influence in obtaining the reward promised by the ban to the individual who should put orange to death. This second letter decided Parma so far that he authorized Asselinville to encourage the young man in his attempt and to promise that the reward should be given to him in case of success and to his heirs in the event of his death. Asselinville, in the second interview, accordingly made known these assurances in the strongest manner to Gerard, warning him at the same time on no account if arrested to inculpate the Prince of Parma. The Counselor, while thus exhorting the stranger, according to Alexander's commands, confined himself, however, to generalities, refusing even to advance fifty crowns which Balthazar had begged from the Governor General in order to provide for the necessary expenses of this project. Parma had made similar advances too often to men who had promised to assassinate the Prince and then had done little, and he was resolute in his refusal to this new adventurer of whom he expected absolutely nothing. Gerard, however, notwithstanding this rebuff, was not disheartened. I will provide myself out of my own purse, he said to Asselinville, and within six weeks you will hear of me. Go forth, my son, said Asselinville, paternally, upon this spirited reply, and if you succeed in your enterprise the King will fulfill all his promises and you will gain an immortal name beside. The inveterate deliberation, thus thoroughly matured, Gerard now proceeded to carry into effect. He came to Delft, obtained a hearing of Villers, the clergyman and intimate friend of Orange, showed him the man's felt seals, and was somewhat against his will sent to France to exhibit them to Mar-a-Charl-Biron, who it was thought was soon to be appointed Governor of Cambrai. Through Orange's recommendation, the Burgundian was received into the suite of Noël de Caron, Seigneur de Chonval, then setting forth on a special mission to the Duke of Indus. While in France Gerard could rest neither by day nor night, so tormented was he by the desire of accomplishing his project, and at length he obtained permission, upon the death of the Duke, to carry this important intelligence to the Prince of Orange. The dispatches having been entrusted to him, he travelled post-haste to Delft, and to his astonishment the letters had hardly been delivered before he was summoned in person to the Chamber of the Prince. Here was an opportunity such as he had never dared to hope for. The arch-enemy to the church and to the human race, whose death would confer upon his destroyer wealth and nobility in this world, besides a crown of glory in the next, lay unarmed, alone in bed, before the man who had thirsted seven long years for his blood. Balthazar could hardly control his emotions sufficiently to answer the questions which the Prince addressed to him concerning the death of Anjou, but Orange, deeply engaged with the dispatches and with the reflections, which their deeply important contents suggested, did not observe the countenance of the humble Calvinist exile, who had been recently recommended to his patronage by villers. Gerard had, moreover, made no preparation for an interview so entirely unexpected, had come unarmed, and had formed no plan for escape. He was obliged to forego his prey when most within his reach, and after communicating all the information which the Prince required, he was dismissed from the Chamber. It was Sunday morning and the bells were tolling for church. Upon leaving the house he loitered about the courtyard, furtively examining the premises so that a sergeant of Halberdeers asked him why he was waiting there. Balthazar meekly replied that he was desirous of attending divine worship in the church opposite, but added, pointing to his shabby and travel-stained attire, that without at least a new pair of shoes and stockings he was unfit to join the congregation. Insignificant as ever, the small, pious, dusty stranger excited no suspicion in the mind of the good-natured sergeant. He forthwith spoke of the wants of Gerard to an officer, by whom they were communicated to Orange himself, and the Prince instantly ordered a sum of money to be given him. Thus Balthazar obtained from William's charity what Parma's thrift had denied, a fund for carrying out his purpose. Next morning, with the money, he purchased a pair of pistols, or small caribbeans, from a soldier, shaffering long about the price because the vendor could not supply a particular kind of chopped bullets or slugs which he desired. Before the sunset of the following day, that soldier had stabbed himself to the heart, and died despairing on hearing for what purpose the pistols had been bought. On Tuesday the 10th of July, 1584, at about half past twelve, the Prince, with his wife on his arm, and followed by the ladies and gentlemen of his family, was going to the dining-room. William the Silent was dressed upon that day, according to his usual custom, in very plain fashion. He wore a wide-leaved, loosely-shaped hat of dark felt, with a silken cord round the crown, such as had been worn by the beggars in the early days of the revolt. A high ruffin circled his neck, from which also depended one of the beggars' medals, with the motto, fidele au roi jusqu'à la bésesse, while a loose surcoat of grey-freeze cloth over a tawny leather doublet with wide-slashed underclothes completed his costume. Gerard presented himself at the doorway, and demanded a passport. The Princess, struck with the pale and agitated countenance of the man, anxiously questioned her husband concerning the stranger. The Prince carelessly observed that it was merely a person who came for a passport, ordering at the same time a secretary forthwith to prepare one. The Princess, still not relieved, observed in an undertone that she had never seen so villainous accountinance. Orange, however, not at all impressed with the appearance of Gerard, conducted himself at table with his usual tearfulness, conversing much with the burgamaster of Léawarden, the only guest present at the family dinner concerning the political and religious aspects of Friesland. At two o'clock the company rose from the table. The Prince led the way, intending to pass to his private apartments above. The dining-room, which was on the ground floor, opened into a little square vestibule, which communicated through an arched passageway with the main entrance into the courtyard. This vestibule was also directly at the foot of the wooden staircase leading to the next floor, and was scarcely six feet in width. Upon its left side, as one approached the stairway, was an obscure arch sunk deep in the wall and completely in the shadow of the door. Behind this arch a portal opened to the narrow lane at the side of the house. The stairs themselves were completely lighted by a large window, halfway up the flight. The Prince came from the dining-room and began leisurely to ascend. He had only reached the second stair when a man emerged from the sunken arch, and standing within a foot or two of him discharged a pistol full at his heart. Three balls entered his body, one of which, passing quite through him, struck with violence against the wall beyond. The Prince exclaimed in French as he felt the wound, Oh my God! Have mercy upon my soul! Oh my God! Have mercy upon this poor people! These were the last words he ever spoke, save that when his sister, Catherine of Schwarzburg, immediately afterwards asked him if he commended his soul to Jesus Christ, he faintly answered, Yes. His master of the horse, Jacob von Mulder, had caught him in his arms as the fatal shot was fired. The Prince was then placed on the stairs for an instant when he immediately began to swoon. He was afterwards laid upon a couch in the dining-room where, in a few minutes, he breathed his last in the arms of his wife and sister. The murderer succeeded in making his escape through the side door and sped swiftly up the narrow lane. He had almost reached the ramparts from which he intended to spring into the moat when he stumbled over a heap of rubbish. As he rose, he was seized by several pages and Halberdeers who had pursued him from the house. He had dropped his pistols upon the spot where he had committed the crime and upon his person were found a couple of ladders, provided with a piece of pipe with which he had intended to assist himself across the moat, beyond which a horse was waiting for him. He made no effort to deny his identity, but boldly avowed himself in his deed. He was brought back to the house where he immediately underwent a preliminary examination before the city magistrates. He was afterwards subjected to excruciating tortures for the fury against the wretch who had destroyed the father of the country was uncontrollable, and William the Silent was no longer alive to intercede as he had often done before, in behalf of those who assailed his life. End of Section 60. This recording is in the public domain. Section 61 of Germany, the Netherlands and Switzerland. This is a LibriVox recording. Our LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer, please visit LibriVox.org. The World Story Vol. 7. Germany, the Netherlands and Switzerland. Edited by Ava March Tappen. Section 61 Sir Philip Sidney and the Glass of Water. 1586 by John Lothrop Martley. In 1581 the United Netherlands published their Declaration of Independence, and were about to make William the Silent their count when he was assassinated. The Spaniards were delighted, for they thought that the Dutch, without him to lead them, could be overcome. The Dutch, however, had no idea of being overcome, and they felt especially courageous, for Queen Elizabeth had agreed to send them help, and she now ordered a fleet of fifty vessels to start for the Netherlands. The Earl of Leicester was in command, and with him was his nephew, Sir Philip Sidney, who was perhaps the best loved man in England, the night without fear and without reproach. He met his death in the Battle of Zutphen. The Editor Sir Philip Sidney, in the last charge, rode quite through the enemy's ranks till he came upon their entrenchments, when a musket-ball from the camp struck him upon the thigh, three inches above the knee. Although desperately wounded and apart which should have been protected by the quizzes which he had thrown aside, he was not inclined to leave the field, but his own horse had been shot under him at the beginning of the action, and the one upon which he was now mounted became too rested for him, thus crippled to control. He turned reluctantly away, and rode a mile and a half back to the entrenchments, suffering extreme pain, for his leg was dreadfully shattered. As he passed along the edge of the battlefield, his attendants brought him a bottle of water to quench his raging thirst. At that moment a wounded English soldier, who had eaten his last at the same feast, looked up wistfully in his face, when Sidney instantly handed him the flask, exclaiming, ìThy necessity is even greater than mine!î He then pledged his dying comrade in a draft, and was soon afterwards met by his uncle. ìOh Philip!î cried Lester in despair, ìI am truly grieved to see thee in this plight!î But Sidney comforted him with manful words, and assured him that death was sweet in the calves of his queen and his country. Sir William Russell, too, all bloodstained from the fight, threw his arms around his friend, wept like a child, and kissing his hand exclaimed, ìOh, noble Sir Philip!î ìNever did man attain hurt so honourably, or serve so valiantly as you!î Sir William Pelham declared that Sidneyís noble courage in the face of our enemies had won him a name of continuing honour. He, the Earl of Lester, described Sidneyís wound as ìvery dangerous, the bone being broken in pieces, but said that the surgeons were in good hope.î ìI pray God to save his life!î said the Earl, ìand I care not how lame he be!î Sir Philip was carried to Arnhem, where the best surgeons were immediately in attendance upon him. He submitted to their examination and the pain which they inflicted with great cheerfulness, although himself persuaded that his wound was mortal. For many days the result was doubtful, and messages were sent day by day to England that he was convalescent, intelligence which was hailed by the Queen and people as a matter not of private but of public rejoicing. He soon began to fail, however. Sidney was first to recognise the symptoms of mortification, which made a fatal result, inevitable. His demeanour during his sickness and upon his deathbed was as beautiful as his life. He discoursed with his friends concerning the immortality of the soul, comparing the doctrines of Plato and of other ancient philosophers, whose writings were so familiar to him with the revelations of Scripture and with the dictates of natural religion. He made his will with minute and elaborate provisions, leaving the quests, remembrances and rings to all his friends. Then he indulged himself with music and listened particularly to a strange song which he had himself composed during his illness, and which he had entitled La Cuisse Rompue. He took leave of the friends around him with perfect calmness, saying to his brother Robert, I love my memory, cherish my friends, above all govern your will and affections by the will and word of your creator, and me beholding the end of this world with all her vanities. And thus this gentle and heroic spirit took its flight. End of Section 61 This recording is in the public domain. Section 62 of Germany, the Netherlands and Switzerland. This is a LibreVox recording. All LibreVox recordings are in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer, please visit LibreVox.org. Recording by phone. The World's Story, Volume 7. Germany, the Netherlands and Switzerland. Edited by Eva Marge-Tappen. Section 62. How a turf boat captured the city of Breda. Section 62. In the year 1590, the large, strongly built city of Breda, on the river Mark, was held by the soldiers of the king of Spain, or rather by Italians, paid by him. These men were placed in a castle surrounded by a deep moat or ditch at the entrance of the town. While Prince Maurice, son of William of Orange, was anxiously considering how he should gain possession of the place, he was secretly visited by a boatman named van der Berg, who was employed to supply the castle at Breda with dry turf for fuel, there being no wood or coal in the country. He said that his vessel was so constantly going in and out of the castle that it was hardly ever searched by the guard, and he proposed that some men should be concealed within it, and thus gain an entrance unperceived. To this plan Prince Maurice gave already consent. He chose sixty-eight men, in whose daring and patient determination he knew that he could trust, with four officers, to take the command. On the night of the 25th of February, they came down at eleven o'clock to the ferry, where the boatman had agreed to meet them. Neither vessel nor man was to be seen, and they walked about for some hours, very cold, disappointed, and angry at van der Berg for not having kept his promise. On their way back they met him when he made the excuse that he had overslept himself. It was too late to attempt anything that night, but it was settled that they should be there the following evening. He seems to have grown afraid of the undertaking, for he did not come at the appointed time, but he sent his nephews, two boatmen who he declared were brave enough to dare any peril. On the 26th the seventy Hollanders went on board the vessel, which appeared to be filled with blocks of turf, and packed themselves closely in the hold or lower part. The voyage was slow and most dangerous, for the winter wind, loaded with fog and sleet, blew straight down the river, bringing with it grave blocks of ice. It became at length impossible to proceed farther. The patient soldiers, closely wedged together in the little hold, lay from Monday night till Thursday morning, bearing the pangs of hunger, thirst, and bitter cold, without a murmur. On the third morning there seemed no better prospect in store for them, for the east wind still raged with violence. Some food was, however, now quite necessary, so they still on shore at a lonely place, where they refreshed themselves, and remained till night, when one of the boatmen came to say that the wind had changed and become favourable. Yet it was not till two days later that they ended their adventurous journey and found themselves in the outer harbour of Predè. There was no going back now. The little band must either take the strong city and castle, defended by five companies of Italians, or die. The officer of the guard soon came on board to look at the turf and arrange for its delivery. While he was in the cabin, he could be plainly seen and heard by the men below. The least sound made by them would have caused their instant discovery and destruction. Happily he stayed only a few moments and promised to send some soldiers to drag the vessel into the castle dock. Meanwhile the turf boat struck upon a hidden rock in the river and sprang a leak. Soon the brave fellows in the hold were up to their knees in water. The boatmen worked away at the pumps to keep the vessel from sinking and before long it was drawn into the inner harbour by a party of Italians from the shore. The deck was soon crowded with labourers unloading the turf, which was much needed as there had been a great want of fuel. So rapidly did the work proceed that the prisoners began to fear that the daylight would soon shine in upon them, bringing discovery and death. To add to their danger the whole party began sneezing and coughing the consequence of the wetting they had received. One officer, whose cuff was especially violent, begged his neighbours to stab him to the heart with his sword lest the noise should betray his companions to the enemy. The bold boatmen however rendered this unnecessary by their presence of mind. The elder directed his brother to work the pump with as much clutter as possible so as to drown the sound of the coughing whilst he loudly assured the bystanders that the vessel was half full of water. At length he said that he was tired and it was getting too dark to unload any more so giving the men some money he bad them go ashore and have some beer and finish their work the next morning. The captain's servant stayed behind to complain that a turf was not so good as usual. He was sure that his master would not like it. Ah, replied the boatman Cooley. The best part of the cargo is underneath. This is expressly reserved for the captain. He is sure to get enough of it tomorrow. Before long the boat was left to itself. Shortly before midnight Captain Herangier, the chief officer of the Little Band, made a speech to his men reminding them that the time for retreat was now past. The past to glory lay before them. He bid them strike for their country and for themselves. They were then divided into two parties, one under himself to attack the guardhouse, the other to gain possession of the arsenal belonging to the castle. An arsenal is a place where guns, powder and shot are stored. With the utmost quietness they stole out of the ship and stood at last on the castle ground. Herangier went at once to the guardhouse. To the question, who goes there? From a soldier on guard, hearing footsteps in the darkness, the captain replied, a friend, and seizing him by the throat, commanded him on pain of death to give no alarm. How many are there in the fort? asked Herangier. Three hundred and fifty, whispered the frightened sentinel. The Dutchman, not hearing the reply, eagerly asked. How many? Only fifty, said their captain, leaving out the three hundred to encourage them with the hope of an easy victory. Meanwhile there was a stir in the guardhouse. The officer of the watch became alarmed and sprang out. Who goes there? asked he. A friend, said Herangier once more, striking him dead with one blow. The rest of the guard now turned out with torches. The attacking party set upon them, and soon drove them back into the guardhouse through the windows and doors of which they fired upon them. Soon there was not one of the enemy alive. The other division of the Hollanders had not been idle. They had seized the arsenal and killed those who defended it. The soldiers remaining in the castle were struck with fear and fled in disorder into the town, spreading dismay and terror as they ran. Before dawn a party of the Netherlands troops, whose commander had been informed that the attempt was going to be made, arrived before the gates of the town, and soon after Prince Maurice himself with another large body of soldiers marched into it. The fight was over. About forty of the enemy's force were killed, but not one man of the attacking party. Thus were five companies of Italian soldiers utterly defeated and put to flight by the patient courage and determination of seventy Hollanders. End of section 62. This recording is in the public domain. Section 63 of Germany, the Netherlands and Switzerland read for LibriVox.org by phone. The Netherlands Part 3 The Period of Commercial Greatness Historical Note The 17th century was the golden age of the Dutch Republic, although its independence was not recognised until 1648. Spain had practically abandoned the struggle forty years before. The wealth and commerce of the Netherlands increased rapidly. In 1602 the Dutch East India Company was organised and before many years their overseas possessions included territory in North and South America and a great part of the East Indies. The Netherlands reached a height of their power and prosperity during the magistracy of Jan de Wit, who was the Grand Pensionary, Chief Executive of Holland, the richest of the Dutch provinces from 1650 to 1672. At this time the Republic was the leading sea power and a great part of the commerce of Europe was carried in her vessels. It was jealousy of the growth of Dutch trade that led England to pass the famous navigation acts, which forbade any except English vessels, manned chiefly by English sailors, to bring to England the produce of Asia, Africa or America. In 1672 the Netherlands were attacked by Louis XIV, the French King, and the conquest of Holland was averted only by opening the dykes and flooding the country. The Dutch blamed Jan de Wit and his brother Cornelius for the success of the French armies. They were torn to pieces by a mob on the streets of The Hague and William of Orange was placed at the head of the state. This prince afterwards became King of England through his marriage with the daughter of James II. During the 18th century the power of the Netherlands gradually declined. Long years of peace and prosperity sapped the energy of the people. Change and development were hindered by a particularly clumsy form of government and by the close of the century the prosperity of the once powerful Republic had almost vanished. End of section 63. This recording is in the public domain. Section 64 of Germany, the Netherlands and Switzerland. This is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer, please visit LibriVox.org. The World's Story, volume 7, Germany, the Netherlands and Switzerland. Edited by Eva March Tappen. Section 64. How a Mud Hole Became a Garden by William Elliot Griffiths. In both the Burgundian and the Spanish eras, the Netherlands formed the richest part of the domains of their rulers. Yet there were no mines, gems or pearls in the low countries. Whence then came the wealth, beauty, comforts and rich revenues. Let us see. Among the crusaders were men of taste who loved beauty and were charmed with the lovely things they saw in the east. These lovers of the beautiful brought back seeds either in their brains, in wallets or in ships' holds. Especially was this true as to flowers and fruits. A taste for gardening was stimulated among the Netherlands and their part of the earth received a new embroidery of rich natural colors. Brilliant blooms, foliage and perfumes never before seen or enjoyed in Europe became common. After the fall of Constantinople in 1453, Holland grew to be one of the gayest garden lands of Europe. The renunculus or little frog family of plants, the anemones, tulips, hyacinths, narcissus and others were acclimated, domesticated and became the Dutchman's darlings. Especially did the bulbous flowers of the east like the tulips find a congenial soil in Holland. Indeed the tulip not only drove the serious Dutchman mad, but in the 16th century all the world went wild over the bulbs of the Harlem. Even today the polders or drained lands left by the pumped out lake of Harlem is the best for bulbs of any land in the world. Whereas in other parts of the Netherlands do not usually pay over 4% on the money invested the Harlem bulb lands yield a revenue of 12% per anem. New varieties of these brilliant exotics are continually developed. One of the latest named the Abraham Lincoln is the direct descendant of an Asiatic ancestor brought westward three centuries ago. In the 16th century oboe the botanist of King James I of England published a book on the history of plants. In it he declared that Harlem contained more rare plants than any other country in Europe. 38 varieties of the anemone or windflower, Dutch, Pasc, Blumen or Easterbloom were known. Dutch captains making voyages to tropical countries were ordered to bring home seeds, bulbs, roots and cuttings from their settlements in Brazil, the Hudson River region, South Africa, the Spice Islands for most of Japan and Asiatic lands many new plants were introduced first into Holland and then into all the gardens of the western world. Hundreds of our common flowers trees or vegetables were once oriental exotics which the Dutch chaperoned and brought out into occidental garden society. Leiden was one of the first cities in Europe to establish botanical gardens and Harlem early led in the Florida culture Leiden for over a century under the renowned Burr-Hava was the floral capital of Europe. Here first were domesticated, buried children of the Geranium family and for the Soi DI with their fleshy leaves and showy flowers and other exotics from near the Cape of Good Hope. Amsterdam was the first garden in Europe to have the coffee tree Groningen and Newtrecht had great hot houses. Northwick was famous for its roses. This taste for flowers introduced at the time of the crusades made the Dutch a nation of flower lovers skilled gardeners and inventive farmers. Window gardening was especially cultivated until today it is a national passion and habit on the canal boat in the floating homes on the inland rivers, the farmhouse the humble village and the great city flowers are everywhere. The Dutch have always been famous for their quick brains and active mental initiative. When their own climate did not agree with an exotic, they made a new climate that did. They invented or greatly improved the green or hot house. They first made use of forcing pits or beds sided or covered with boards or roofed with glass by which young plants were early raised from seed and kept from frost and cold until ready for transplanting. No fewer than 6,000 exotic plants were cataloged at Leiden during the 19th century. One of the most famous doctors of old and New England and of colonial New York this renowned physician taught the hot house men of Europe to adjust the slope of the glass according to the latitude so as to get the maximum power of the sun's rays. One great forest in Harlem had four green houses in which he kept the climates of the Levant, Africa, India and America. From Holland the botany was carried to Sweden. It was at the Dutch University of Harderwick that Linnaeus obtained his degree and in Holland he wrote the books on which his fame rests. The plow in its modern form consisting of several distinct parts is a Dutch invention at the Government Agricultural School at Wagen and Gin one may see the models of several eras showing its steady evolution into the wonderful tool of our day. Dutchmen and Yankee have made many improvements but for some generations the Dutch plow led the world. Not a few of the more important modern agricultural implements were invented by Dutchmen as their names in old English works on husbandry clearly prove. About the time of the truce with Spain from 1609 to 1620 the Hollanders began to drive a good trade in seeds, bulbs and flowers. Later they supplied most of the courts with early fruits they added greatly to the daily diet of civilized people. They introduced garden vegetables and the artificial grasses into England. They taught the eastern country folks how to drain their fens and raise two crops a year on the same field by the Dutchmen's aid the marshy land which raised sedge and malaria and compelled two rabbits to fight for one blade of grass became rich in turnips, mutton and human beings quickly doubling in population and value. Most of the early English books on agriculture are by authors with Dutch names or with the names more or less anglicized. The Dutchmen's country being far north of the wine and oil line of Europe and within the beer and butter line he gave early attention to dairy and hop field in all the products of the cow milk, cream, butter, cheese, meat hides and horns the Dutchmen led Europe. He did this because he studied soil and foods most carefully and treated his dumb cattle as if they were his friends. Today the traveler entering Holland in chilly May notices cows and sheep blanketed while in the pastures in Friesland he sees that the fine breeds of cattle are housed under the same roof though not in the same room with their masters. The dwelling and the stable are near to each other entertainment for man and beasts being scrupulously clean and the latter with an easy help of the former. So much attention was paid to the hens in old English as in Dutchmen both sexes and to eggs and to butter making that the Duke of Alva imagined that the Dutch would not fight for as he thought they were only men of butter. Beer or milk was the everyday drink in those early days when modern hot drinks, tea and coffee were not known the beer mug stood on the table by the plate of every child as well as adult. The Dutchmen first made use of hops to improve the quality of beer. It was a great day when hops were introduced into England and the event was celebrated in street songs. The pilgrims in the Mayflower were teetotalers of necessity during their famous voyage for all their beer as well as most of their butter had been sold off to pay their debts to their harsh English creditors. In America until after the revolution the new Englanders could never raise crops or stock like their neighbors west of the Hudson. The best farmers and gardeners as well as stock raisers were the new Netherlands or their descendants in New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Delaware. In a word that great movement of European humanity called the crusades in which the Dutch took a share was a powerful factor in their development. Being bright in mind, quick in observation and active in brain, the Dutchman learned much and improved upon what he imported. The festivals in honor of the foundation of the Christian church in a village celebrated yearly were called Kirkmas or Kermis. On these gay and joyful occasions the Dutch cooks exercised all their ingenuity and many were the novelties to tempt the palate. Buckwheat for example had been used for ages in Asia where in the form of mush, porridge or steamed dough it was eaten by the peoples from India to Japan. The Dutch named it buckwheat from which our English word buckwheat has been corrupted because it looks like the beach massed. After many an experiment in Dutch kitchens the luscious winter breakfast luxury which butter and maple syrup delight so many Americans was evolved. One of the direct results of commerce stimulated by the crusades was the gingerbread. Thick, spicy and aromatic cake was sold in the Netherlands as early as the 12th century. Gilded, painted, whitened with egg and cut into all sorts of comical shapes. It was sold by tons at the fair in Kirkmas. Our words cookie and crawler like the honey cakes of deventer, muffins and waffles are of Dutch origin. The puffer cheese and other products of the batter dish and oven or toasting irons which were first made popular at the Dutch premise were imported into other countries with new names. Oriental fruits and nuts now called by the word wall or foreign as in walnut, walloon, wales, wall about bay et cetera were like hops borrowed by English speaking folks from their more advanced and more highly civilized Dutch neighbors who vastly improved table resources. The Dutch oven made life for the early new Englanders very agreeable. Next to good food is good clothing more important in its influence on industry was the introduction of flax. This native of Egypt found a most congenial home in the Netherlands. It was patiently studied by men of science and cultivated with infinite care by the farmers with their eyes to its improvement in the quality of the fiber. They were so far successful that Flemish and Dutch flax soon had a name all over Europe. In India as in America the plant had been cultivated for its seed in order to get oil rather than for its fiber out of which is made linen. The Dutch from the first paid attention to the development of the stocks and aim to secure abundant and delicate floss. Linen manufacturers were established and around these a score of trades sprang up spinners and spinsters, webbers and websters, dyers and bleachers burlars, patchelers and lace makers are some of the English names for these. In this new group of industries like a white rose and a bouquet which lights up the whole composition appeared one that deserves the name of a fine art, rich and delicate as are the fabrics of the East lace is European, the non-s invented needle, sculpture or lace. The stimulus to produce fine yarn for the lace makers became so great that the flax produced of the southern Netherlands was developed until it was without arrival. In some instances the crop was so precious that in one year it exceeded the value of the ground on which it grew. The cultivation of the new oriental flowers afforded novel patterns for the lace makers while the cathedral builders and Abbey Mason's made the stone blossom under the chisel and reared spires and trace reed that were like the gossamer of spiders. The nuns wrought with the needle and produced the loveliest works of art in lace. These women of taste and skill did not merely copy flowers and spider webs but wrought out new forms and most tasteful combinations. The art which probably arose in Italy was quickly transferred to the Netherlands. The oldest form of this art industry is seen in point lace in which very like webs are woven by the needle over foundation pieces of linen. Exactly how this old point lace was made is not certainly known for the special art was lost in the 16th century yet the durability of the work is seen in the fact that many pieces of point lace yet remain in Europe. The later kinds though still very expensive or less artistic in the first or inventive period the designer and the worker were one but later the worker was usually a copyist. After the needle wrought lace came the pillow work or a bobbin lace and last of all in our day the machine made lace when all classes can wear it because all purses can afford to buy it. In Italy and Netherlands the two countries in which painting and flowers were most cultivated lace making reached its acme of proficiency where the canvas first bloomed with colors laid on in oil there the parterres and the flax fields were richest and lace most lovely. The Dutch invented the thimble thus reinforcing the application of the needle and of linen to a thousand needs of life the names we still use for the various fabrics and patterns can break from cambride diaper from da pray and various places in the Netherlands show their geographical origin the inventions of the shirt nightdress bed tick pocket handkerchief tablecloth napkin most of them in the 13th century and of another landish origin are landmarks in the history of European civilization the use and application of starch also a Dutch invention was introduced in England in the time of Queen Elizabeth but Dutch weavers had been brought over as early as 1253 most of the old names of woollen, hempen, flaxen and cotton goods come from the low countries even our word tick in bed tick is only a mispronunciation of the Dutch decan to cover it was a decided advance in household economy in cleanliness and in hygiene when the bed was lifted up from the floor and made snowy with linen and glorious with a canopy in the evolution of the modern bed no people have contributed more than the sedentary and home loving Dutch in the land where art first glorified domestic life they studied health, cleanliness and comfort until a love for these became a passion at first linen sheets, pillow and bolster cases pocket handkerchiefs and shirts were luxuries and only for kings and nobles even then the inventory or washing list of a queen or emperor in the 14th and 15th centuries would have made a Chinese laundryman laugh because of its scantiness instead of being fine and snow white the first shirt was probably rough and dark colored and the problem was to make linen white the Dutch raised bleaching to the dignity of a fine art they persevered until the name Holland's all over Europe meant finest linen, whitest snow eight months were required to secure the purest white the tedious process consisted in spreading out the web or sheets of linen on the grass or bleaching ground and wetting it several times a day the grounds around Harlem were especially fitted for this process they often looked as if a snowstorm had whitened the earth the old paintings show how much land was thus occupied some virtue in the water probably its power in connection with the sea air of liberating ozone in addition to the energy of the sun's rays was supposed to hold the secret of success much linen woven in Great Britain was sent to the Netherlands to be blanched when sold at home it was marked finest Hollins it was not until 1785 when a French chemist discovered chlorine and the verges of bleaching powder that the time and space required in the old process were saved and the Dutch fields became green again the old Dutch family names of bleaker mangler and all the varieties of DeWitt DeWitte DeWitt etc like the English Dwight Walker Webster etc are monuments of the long by gone days when the trades of the bleacher the smoother and the whitener flourished the latter tell of those occupations from which our English fathers so generally names while the Dutch on the contrary took theirs largely from places landmarks and natural objects in the scenery it was not until the 15th century that family names were in use in northern Europe in of section 64 this recording is in the public domain section 65 of Germany the Netherlands and Switzerland this is a Libythox recording all Libythox recordings are in the public domain for more information or to volunteer please visit Libythox.org the world's story volume 7 Germany the Netherlands and Switzerland edited by either March Tappan section 65 when the pilgrim fathers went to Holland 1608 by William Bradford in 1608 the separatists or pilgrims as they were afterwards called a branch of the larger body of Puritans left England on account of the intolerance with which they were treated and settled at Leiden to the number of 1,000 or more under their minister John Robinson William Bradford author of the history from which the following selection is taken was a prominent member of the party and later when the Purgans were settled in the new world served as governor of the colony the editor being thus constrained to leave their native soil and country their lands and livings all their friends and familiar acquaintance it was much and fought marvellously by many but to go into a country they knew not but by hearsay when they must learn a new language and get their livings they knew not how it being a dear place and subject to the miseries of war it was by many fought an adventure almost desperate a case intolerable and a misery worse than death especially seeing they were not acquainted with trades nor traffic by which that country doth subsist that had only been used to a plain country life an innocent trade or husbandry that these things did not dismay them though they did sometimes trouble them for their desires were set on the ways of God and his ordinances but they rested on his providence and knew whom they had believed yet this was not all for though they could not stay yet were they not suffered to go but the ports and heavens were shut against them so as they were feigned to seek secret means of conveyance and to bribe and feed the mariners and give extraordinary rates for their passages yet were they oftentimes betrayed many of them and both they and their goods intercepted and surprised and thereby put to great trouble and charge of which I'll give an instance or two and omit the rest there was a large company of them purpose to get passage at Boston in Lincolnshire and for their end had hired a ship holy to themselves and made agreement with the master to be ready at a certain day and take them and their goods in at a convenient place where they accordingly would all attend in readiness so after long waiting and large expenses though he kept not day with them yet he came at length and took them in in the night but when he had them and their goods aboard he betrayed them having before hind with the searchers and other officers so to do who took them and put them into open boats and they rifled and ransacked them searching them to their shirts for money yea even the women further than became modesty and then carried them back into the town and made them a spectacle and a wonder to the multitude which came flocking on all sides to behold them being those first by the couchpole officers rifled and stripped of their money books and much other goods they were presented to the magistrates and messengers sent to inform the lords of the council of them and so they were committed to ward indeed the magistrates used them courteously and showed them what favor they could but could not deliver them till order came from the council table but the issue was that after a month's imprisonment the greater part were dismissed and sent to the places in which they came the seven of the principal were still kept in prison and bound over to these eases the next spring after there was another attempt made by some of these and others to get over at another place and it so fell out that they lied of a Dutch man at home having a ship of his own belonging to Zeeland they made an agreement with him and acquainted him with their condition hoping to find more faithfulness in him than in the form of their own nation he bade them not fear for he would do well enough he was by appointment to take them in between Grimsby and Hull where was a large common a good way distant from any town now against the pretext time the women and children with the goods were sent to the place in a small bark which they had hired for that end and the men were to meet them by land but it so fell out that they were there a day before the ship came and the sea being rough and the women very sick veiled of the seaman to put it into a creek hard by where they lay on ground at low water next morning the ship came but they were fast and could not stir till about noon in the meantime the ship master receiving how the matter was sent his boat to beget in the men aboard whom he saw ready walking about the shore but after the first boat fallers got aboard and she was ready to go for more the master inspired a great company both horse and foot with bills and guns and other weapons for the country was raised to take them and the Dutch man seeing it swore his country's oath sacrament and having the wind fair weighed his anchor hoisted sail and away but the poor men which were got aboard were in great distress for their wives and children which they saw theirs to be taken and were left destitute of their helps and themselves also not having a cloth to shift them with more than they had on their backs and some scarce a penny of them all they had being on board the bark it drew tears in their eyes and anything they had they would have given to be in the shore again but all in vain there was no remedy they must thus sadly part and afterward endured a fearful storm at sea being 14 days or more before they arrived at their port in seven were off they neither saw sun, moon or stars and were driven near the coast of Norway the mariners themselves often despairing of life and once his shrieks and cries gave over all as if the ship had been founded in the sea and they sinking without recovery but when man's hope and help wholly failed the Lord's power and mercy appeared in their recovery for the ship rose again and gave the mariners courage again to manage her modesty would suffer me I might declare with what fervent prayers they cried onto the Lord in this great distress especially some of them even without any great distraction when the water ran into their mouths and ears and the mariners cried out we sink, we sink they cried if not moved miraculous yet with a great height of degree of divine faith yet Lord thou can't save with such other expressions as I will forbear upon which the ship did not only recover but surely after the violence of the storm began to abate and the Lord filled their afflicted minds with such comforts as everyone cannot understand and in the end brought them to their desired haven where the people came flocking admiring their deliverance the storm having been so long and saw in which much hurt had been done as the master's friends related on to him in their congratulations but to return to the others where he left the rest of the men that were in greatest danger made shift to escape away before the troops could surprise them those only staying that best might be assistant on to the women but pitiful it was to see the heavy case of these poor women in their distress what weeping and crying on every side some for their husbands that were carried away in the ship as it is before related others not knowing what should become of them and their little ones others again melted in tears seeing their poor little ones hanging about them crying for fear and quaking with cold being those apprehended they were hurried from one place to another and from one justice to another till in the end they knew not what to do with them for to imprison so many innocent women and children for no other cause many of them but that they must go with their husbands seemed to be unreasonable and all would cry out of them and send to send them home again was as difficult for they alleged as the truth was that they had no homes to go to that they had either sold or otherwise disposed of their homes and living to be short after they had been thirst term-willed a good while and conveyed from one constable to another they were glad to be rid of them in the end upon any terms for all were worried and tired with them though in the meantime they poor souls endured misery enough and thirst in the end necessity to pray for them but that I be not tedious in these things I want to admit the rest though I might relate many other notable passages and troubles which they endured and underwent in these their wanderings and travels both for land and sea but I haste to other things yet I may not omit the fruit that came here by for by these sub-public troubles in many eminent places their cause became famous and occasioned many to look into the same and their godly carriage and Christian behaviour were such as left a deep impression in the minds of many and though some few shrunk at these first conflicts and sharp beginnings as it was no marvel yet many more came on with fresh courage and greatly animated others and in the end notwithstanding all these storms of opposition they all got over at length some at one time and some at another and some in one place and some in another and met together again according to their desires with no small rejoicing being now come into the low countries they saw many goodly and fortified cities strongly warred and guarded the troops of armed men also they heard a strange and uncouth language and beheld the different manners and customs of the people with their strange fashions and attires all so far differing from that of their plain country villages wherein they were bred and had so long lived as it seemed they were coming to a new world but these were not the things they much looked on or long took up their forts for they had other work in hand and another kind of war to wage and maintain for though they saw fair and beautiful cities flowing of abundance of all sorts of wealth and riches yet it was not long before they saw the grim and grisly face of poverty coming upon them like an armed man with whom they must buckle and encounter and from whom they could not fly that they were armed with faith and patience against him and encounters although they were sometimes foiled yet by God's assistance they befell and got the victory now when Mr Robinson Mr Brewster and other principal members would come over for they were of the last and stayed to help the weakest over before them such things were fought on as were necessary for their settling and best ordering of the church affairs when they had lived in Amsterdam about a year Mr Robinson their pastor and some others of best discernment seeing how Mr John Smith and his company was already falling into contention with the church that was there before them and no means they could use would do any good to kill the same and also that the flames of contention were like to break out in the ancient church itself as afterwards lamentably came to pass which things they prudently foreseen what it was best to remove before they were any way engaged with the same though they well knew it would be much to the prejudice of their outward states both at present and in likelihood in the future as indeed it proved to be for these and some other reasons they removed to Leiden a fair and beautiful city another sweet situation but made more famous by the university wherewith it is adorned in which of late had been so many learned men but wanting that traffic by sea which Amsterdam enjoys it was not as beneficial for their outward means of living and estates but being now here pitched they fell to such trades and employments as they best could valuing peace and their spiritual comfort above any other riches whatsoever and at length they came to raise a competent and comfortable living but with hard and continual labour being thus settled after many difficulties they continued many years in a comfortable condition enjoying much sweet and delightful society and spiritual comfort together in the ways of God under the able ministry and prudent government of Mr John Robinson Mr William Brewster who was an insistent onto him in the place of an elder onto which he was now called and chosen by the church so as they grew in knowledge and other gifts and graces of the spirit of God and lived together in peace and love and holiness and many came to them from diverse parts of England so as they grew a great congregation and a section 65 this recording is in the public domain section 66 of Germany the Netherlands and Switzerland read for LibriVox.org by Alan Mapstone The Surrender of Breda by Diego Rodriguez de Silva Belasquez Spanish painter 1599-1660 painting page 368 in 1621 after a truce of 12 years brave little Holland still refused to yield to Spain and the war was renewed four years later the Spanish general Spinola brought about the Surrender of Breda this town had been taken in 1590 by the stratagem of the turf boat and now in 1625 was forced to surrender to Spain the illustration is a reproduction of one of the most famous of historical paintings it is often called the lances because of the wilderness of lances at the right it pictures the moment when the Dutch commander is presenting Spinola with the keys of the Surrendered City he bows submissively before the victorious foe but Spinola instead of grasping the keys lays his hand unfriendly wise upon the shoulder of his brave opponent the figures in the picture are not at all numerous but yet the idea of a large number of people by the masses of troops indicated in the middle distance behind Spinola are the Spanish troops with their lances the background is a wide stretch of flat country bounded by the distant ocean here and there are fortifications near the head of the Spanish general's horse stands a man wearing a plumed hat this represents the artist himself end of section 66 this recording is in the public domain section 67 of Germany, Netherlands and Switzerland this is a LibriVox recording all LibriVox recordings are in the public domain for more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org recording by phone the world's story section 67 the escape of Hugo de Groot 1621 by Frederic Spencer Byrd one of the greatest names in Holland in connection with the literature of his time is that of Hugo de Groot or Erocius as he is commonly called when a mere youth is a young man a young man when a mere youth he is said to have successfully maintained theses in philosophy, mathematics and jurisprudence he has left behind him several volumes of Latin poems, theological works and standard treatise on international law called the Jure Belly-Edpatches the story of his escape from the castle of Lufstein where he was sentenced to be imprisoned for life for the part he took in the political and theological disputes which agitated his native country is well worth recording insofar that his devoted wife devised and helped to carry out the plan for regaining his freedom the anecdote reminds one of the Earl of Netsdale's escape from the tower of London in 1715 which was affected by the aid of his counters a Dutch life of Hotius gives the full particular from which I have selected the following the castle of Lufstein is situated on the west side of the island of Bommel where the waters of the rivers Valle and Mass unite both nature and art have combined to render it a place of great strength as may be seen by its position and the thick high walls and double motes by which it is surrounded fortunately for de Groot his wife had obtained permission to share his confinement with him though under certain restrictions as to quitting and returning to the castle de Groot entertained no hopes of being released and amid so many doors locks, warders, walls and motes saw no means of escape but his wife who had exhausted all legitimate efforts in her command to obtain his freedom and soften the hearts of his enemies at last hit on a plan which though fraught with great danger of detection was destined to be completely successful books were the chief solace of de Groot in his captivity and a certain professor Erpenius was in the habit of occasionally sending a chest containing volumes such as the prisoner liked best in the house of his brother-in-law one thatseler living at Horkham whence it was forwarded to de Groot at Lüvestang this chest was allowed to be carried to and from the castle as often as it was desired that the book should be exchanged the commander of the fortress at first gave orders that the contents of the chest should be examined each time it passed in or out but nothing having occurred in the suspicion that any regulations were being infringed the order was not regularly carried out and the chest was frequently allowed to pass without being opened this did not escape the notice of Madame de Groot who immediately devised a plan for releasing her husband by conveying him as books from the castle trusting that providence would aid the attempt and that the relaxed of the orders might afford the much longed for opportunity for affecting de Groot's deliverance she at once communicated her plan to her husband who after some reflection expressed his willingness to risk the attempt and they lost no time in making an examination of the chest at first sight it seemed neither long nor deep enough to hold a man of de Groot's size but on making a trial he found he could just lie in it in a cramped position by drawing up his legs and placing his arms straight by his sides he then tried to discover how long it would be possible for him to remain inside with the lid closed and whether he would have difficulty in obtaining the necessary supply of air to enable him to breathe freely to test this he lay shut up in the chest until the sand in the glass had run down twice then the experiment was deemed satisfactory and all fears of his being suffocated were removed matters being so far arranged it was decided that madame de Groot should take into her confidence the wife of datseler to whose house the chest would have to be conveyed this she took the first opportunity of doing and the result was favourable to their plan she then obtained leave as usual from the governor of the castle to send away on a certain day a chest of books which she stated her husband desired to exchange for others and now all that remained to be done was to obtain the cooperation of their faithful maid servant Elsie van Howening a girl of twenty who had been allowed to attend her mistress in the fortress they had every confidence in Elsie's prudence and fidelity and therefore did not hesitate to communicate their secret to her she was asked whether she would accompany the chest and endeavour to have it safely conveyed to the house of datseler at Horcum and she at once expressed her willingness to undertake the responsible and dangerous duty all preparations were quickly made and at length the eventful day arrived when he rose in the morning the growth prayed earnestly that God would permit the undertaking to be successful and having breakfasted and embraced his wife he got into the chest he was but scantily clad and there was so little space that his shoes had to be left out under his head to serve as a cushion the new testament was placed and other books were so packed about him to prevent the possibility of his rolling about when the chest was moved Madame de Groot again took an affectionate leave of her husband and who shall say what were the feelings of that devoted woman as she took a parting glance at his face and shut down the lid hiding her emotion as well as she could she locked the chest and gave the key to her maid who stood ready to start on her anxious journey Madame de Groot then retired to bed and drew the curtains around her having previously placed her husband clothes on a chair close by so that the warder on entering might suppose de Groot to be with her and asleep a male attendant who had been deputed to wait on de Groot was then summoned and on entering he asked what was wanted I had thought to go myself to gorken said Madame de Groot from behind the bed curtains but not feeling well and the weather being so unsettled I have decided to send Elsie instead she will take the chest with her call a soldier to help to remove it the man retired and shortly afterwards a warder and some soldiers entered they saw de Groot's clothing on the chair near the bed and having no suspicions concerning the safety of the prisoner two or three of them took hold of the chest to carry it away the task however was not so easy as was expected and one soldier was heard to say to the others what makes de chest so heavy is de Arminion meaning de Groot inside there upon Madame de Groot called out there are Arminion books inside the soldiers then appeared to examine the chest as if to see whether any holes had been bored in it to admit air and having apparently satisfied themselves that all was right they again applied themselves to removing it half dragging and half lifting it they contrived to get it down the long staircase and through thirteen doors which one after the other had to be unbarred and unlocked to allow them to pass with their burden while the soldiers were resting one again said to another I am sure de Arminion must be inside on which the wife of one of the men being present remarked I know that some years ago a Bergverkober traitor was carried out of the town in a box so de Arminion can very well be inside a soldier then replied that if he thought de Groot was concealed in the chest he would get a gimlet and bore him through the body Elsje von Hauening who had hitherto kept silent then quickly said in a tone of effected gaiety to do that you must get a bore that will reach from here to his chamber while this brief conversation was taking place the wife of the governor who was absent from the castle made her appearance and inquired what was the matter the men remarked that the chest was unusually heavy and asked her whether they should open it to see what was inside she inquired whether her husband was generally in the habit of having it opened before it was taken away the men answered that it had not been his practice to do so for a very long time then said the governor's wife who evidently did not wish to appear more particular than her husband Madame de Groot tells me it only contains Armenian books take the chest as it is to the ship the order was obeyed and the box was then carried down to the water's edge where a small Dutch vessel lay moored the skipper, Jan Woutersohn was present and he placed the plank to facilitate the conveyance of the chest on board but the faithful Elsher perceiving that the wood was thin and fearing that her master's weight might cause it to break exclaimed what is this do you intend to use this thin plank to get the box on board it may break and let it fall into the water then all will be spoiled the chest is full of valuable books which have been lent and must be taken great care of but a thick plank over the other the skipper complied with her request and to her great relief the chest at last was deposited safely on board as a preconcerted signal between the maid and her mistress who was anxiously watching from a window of the castle the former threw her handkerchief over her head and waved it once or twice to show that all went well a sailor observing this inquired why she did it she readily replied that someone had dared her to venture on the water in such rough weather the wind being very high at the time and it was a signal that she was going the chest had been placed on deck but was left unsecured and with perhaps an excessive caution Elsher said to the skipper make this chest fast it might fall overboard in which case the books would not only be spoiled but lost during the progress of the voyage the girl was again made anxious by seeing some men sitting on the box thus pressing down the lid and as she feared depriving its occupant of air they were also kicking it with their heels a proceeding that must have been anything but agreeable to the throat she begged them themselves elsewhere declaring that besides books the chest contained china that would easily break at last the ship arrived safely at Horkon when she was moored the skipper began to discharge the cargo and other goods were landed before the chest which might have remained on board a considerable time had not Elsher persuaded the master to have it speedily removed a barrel was obtained and assisted by his son the skipper placed the chest on it they were wheeling it away when the former exclaimed father there was something alive inside this chest on which the skipper turning towards Elsher who pretended not to have overheard the remark said do you hear what my son says he says there is something alive in the chest yes replied Elsher in as careless a tone as she could assume books have life the matter then dropped and at length the chest with its precious contents was deposited at the house of Datsular where it was taken in as privately as possible by the back entrance the carriers having been paid and dismissed Elsher went in search of the occupants of the house she found Datsular and his wife with some other persons in a front room busily engaged in packing some goods going up to the woman she whispered softly in her ear I have my master here behind in a chest you must see how you can get him away for a moment Frau Datsular looked both astonished and agitated on hearing the news and her face became white as a sheet she however soon recovered her presence of mind and followed Elsher into the room where the chest had been deposited before unlocking it they made knot down and in a loud whisper called master master several times that there being no reply she looked around sorrowfully to her companion and exclaimed alas my master is dead the other woman replied your mistress has done a clever thing formerly she had a live husband now she has but a dead one hearing their conversation the throat now tapped the lid of the chest with this hand and called out no I am not dead I did not know the voice the chest was then at once opened the throat had lain inside for about two hours and he came out of it looking like a corpse restored to life he was then asked to go upstairs and he ascended followed by Frau Datsular and the girl observing the agitated manner and pale face of the former the throat asked her if she always looked so white no sir she replied but I am frightened to see you here you are no ordinary person the whole world knows you I am afraid of getting into trouble and that my husband will be arrested and setting your place the throat answered I have prayed so much to God who has thus far been with me and I have so heartily thanked him for permitting me to escape that if it be his will I am ready to return to my chest and be again conveyed back to prison the throat answered back to prison the woman now more at her ease replied no we have you here now and whatever comes of it we will help you seeing that he could hardly stand she gave him a glass of Spanish wine which appeared to revive him he then asked to speak with her husband she went to fetch him but on her telling him of the matter he replied in a fright I know nothing of it I must neither see nor speak with men here the throat or I shall be implicated she then ran to the house of her brother-in-law who being let into the secret obtained a suit of clothes from a labourer in which the throat disguised himself and with the assistance of his kind friends finally escaped to Antwerp where he found refuge in the house of a clergyman who had previously lived in Rotterdam Madame the Groot after some time was permitted to join her husband and the noble devotion of herself and of her trusty maid Elsie van Hauening will long live to be recorded in the annals of the Netherlands end of section 67 this recording is in the public domain