flood-tide up the rivers gradually deepened the waters up to the very dyke on which the entrenchments of the besiegers stood.  Urged on by Orange, Boisot now made a great effort.  Anxiously from the towers was the approach of the relieving fleet watched.  The town was at the very last extremity.  The people were dying of hunger on every side.  Some fierce combats took place as soon as the Sea-Beggars, experts at this amphibious warfare, arrived at the outlying Spanish forts, but not for long.  Alarmed at the rising of the waters and fearing that the fleet of Boisot might cut off their escape, the Spaniards retreated in the night; and on the morning of October 3 the vessels of the relieving force, laden with provisions, entered the town.  The long-drawn-out agony was over and Leyden saved from the fate of Haarlem, just at the moment when further resistance had become impossible.  Had Leyden fallen the probability is that the whole of South Holland would have been conquered, and the revolt might have collapsed.  In such a narrow escape well might the people of the town see an intervention of Providence on their behalf.  The prince himself hastened to Leyden on the following day, reorganised the government of the town and in commemoration of this great deliverance founded the University, which was to become in the 17th century one of the most famous seats of learning in Europe.

The successful relief of Leyden was followed by a mutiny of the army of Valdez.  They were owed long arrears of pay, had endured great hardships, and now that they saw themselves deprived of the hope of the pillage of the town, they put their commander and his officers under arrest and marched under a leader elected by themselves into Utrecht.  Other mutinies occurred in various parts of the southern provinces, for Requesens had no funds, and it was useless to appeal to Philip, for the Spanish treasury was empty.  This state of things led to a practical cessation of active hostilities for many months; and Requesens seized the opportunity to open negotiations with Orange.  These were, however, doomed to be fruitless, for the king would not hear of any real concessions being made to the Protestants.  The position of William was equally beset with difficulties, politically and financially.  In the month following the relief of Leyden he even threatened to withdraw from the country unless his authority were more fully recognised and adequate supplies were furnished for the conduct of the war.  The Estates accordingly, November 12, asked him to assume the title of Regent or Governor, with “absolute might, authority and sovereign control” of the affairs of the country.  They also voted him an allowance of 49,000 guilders a month; but, while thus conferring on the man who still claimed to be the “Stadholder of the king” practically supreme power, the burgher-corporations of the towns were very jealous of surrendering in the smallest degree that control over taxation which was one of their most valued rights.  The exercise of authority, however, by the prince from this time forward was very great, for he had complete control in military and naval matters, and in the general conduct of affairs he held all the administrative threads in his own hands.  He had become indispensable, and in everything but name a sovereign in Holland and Zeeland.