Such were the characteristics of this famous siege during the winter and early spring.  Alva might well write to his sovereign, that “it was a war such as never before was seen or heard of in any land on earth.”  Yet the Duke had known near sixty years of warfare.  He informed Philip that “never was a place defended with such skill and bravery as Harlem, either by rebels or by men fighting for their lawful Prince.”  Certainly his son had discovered his mistake in asserting that the city would yield in a week; while the father, after nearly six years’ experience, had found this “people of butter” less malleable than even those “iron people” whom he boasted of having tamed.  It was seen that neither the skies of Greece or Italy, nor the sublime scenery of Switzerland, were necessary to arouse the spirit of defiance to foreign oppression—­a spirit which beat as proudly among the wintry mists and the level meadows of Holland as it had ever done under sunnier atmospheres and in more romantic lands.

Mendoza had accomplished his mission to Spain, and had returned with supplies of money within six weeks from the date of his departure.  Owing to his representations and Alva’s entreaties, Philip had, moreover, ordered Requesens, governor of Milan, to send forward to the Netherlands three veteran Spanish regiments, which were now more required at Harlem than in Italy.  While the land force had thus been strengthened, the fleet upon the lake had also been largely increased.  The Prince of Orange had, on the other hand, provided more than a hundred sail of various descriptions, so that the whole surface of the mere was now alive with ships.  Seafights and skirmishes took place almost daily, and it was obvious that the life and death struggle was now to be fought upon the water.  So long as the Hollanders could hold or dispute the possession of the lake, it was still possible to succor Harlem from time to time.  Should the Spaniards overcome the Prince’s fleet, the city must inevitably starve.

At last, on the 28th of May, a decisive engagement of the fleets took place.  The vessels grappled with each other, and there was a long, fierce, hand-to-hand combat.  Under Bossu were one hundred vessels; under Martin Brand, admiral of the patriot fleet, nearly one hundred and fifty, but of lesser dimensions.  Batenhurg commanded the troops on board the Dutch vessels.  After a protracted conflict, in which several thousands were killed, the victory was decided in favor of the Spaniards.  Twenty-two of the Prince’s vessels being captured, and the rest totally routed, Bossu swept across the lake in triumph.  The forts belonging to the patriots were immediately taken, and the Harlemers, with their friends, entirely excluded from the lake.