man was on the walls, The storming parties were assailed with cannon, with musketry, with pistols.  Boiling water, pitch and oil, molten lead, and unslaked lime, were poured upon them every moment.  Hundreds of tarred and burning hoops were skilfully quoited around the necks of the soldiers, who struggled in vain to extricate themselves from these fiery ruffs, while as fast as any of the invaders planted foot upon the breach, they were confronted face to face with sword and dagger by the burghers, who hurled them headlong into the moat below.

“Thrice was the attack renewed with ever-increasing rage—­thrice repulsed with unflinching fortitude.  The storm continued four hours long.  During all that period, not one of the defenders left his post, till he dropped from it dead or wounded.  The women and children, unscared by the balls flying in every direction, or by the hand-to-hand conflicts on the ramparts, passed steadily to and fro from the arsenals to the fortifications, constantly supplying their fathers, husbands, and brothers with powder and ball.  Thus, every human being in the city that could walk had become a soldier.  At last darkness fell upon the scene.  The trumpet of recall was sounded, and the Spaniards, utterly discomfited, retired from the walls, leaving at least one thousand dead in the trenches, while only thirteen burghers and twenty-four of the garrison lost their lives.  Thus was Alkmaar preserved for a little longer—­thus a large and well-appointed army signally defeated by a handful of men fighting for their firesides and altars.  Ensign Solis, who had mounted the breach for an instant, and miraculously escaped with life, after having been hurled from the battlements, reported that he had seen ‘neither helmet nor harness,’ as he looked down into the city; only some plain-looking people, generally dressed like fishermen.  Yet these plain-looking fishermen had defeated the veterans of Alva....

“The day following the assault, a fresh cannonade was opened upon the city.  Seven hundred shots having been discharged, the attack was ordered.  It was in vain; neither threats nor entreaties could induce the Spaniards, hitherto so indomitable, to mount the breach.  The place seemed to their imagination protected by more than mortal powers, otherwise how was it possible that a few half-starved fishermen could already have so triumphantly overthrown the time-honoured legions of Spain.  It was thought, no doubt, that the Devil, whom they worshipped, would continue to protect his children.  Neither the entreaties nor the menaces of Don Frederic were of any avail.  Several soldiers allowed themselves to be run through the body by their own officers, rather than advance to the wails, and the assault was accordingly postponed to an indefinite period.”