opened a warm fire of musketry upon Boisot from the dyke, to which he responded with his cannon.  The distance of the combatants, however, made the action unimportant; and the patriots retired down the river, after achieving a complete victory.  The Grand Commander was farther than ever from obtaining that foothold on the sea, which as he had informed his sovereign, was the only means by which the Netherlands could be reduced.

1574 [Chapter ii.]

First siege of Leyden—­Commencement of the second—­Description of the city—­Preparations for defence—­Letters of Orange—­Act of amnesty issued by Requesens—­Its conditions—­Its reception by the Hollanders—­Correspondence of the Glippers—­Sorties and fierce combats beneath the walls of Leyden—­Position of the Prince—­His project of relief Magnanimity of the people—­Breaking of the dykes—­ Emotions in the city and the besieging camp—­Letter of the Estates of Holland—­Dangerous illness of the Prince—­The “wild Zealanders”—­ Admiral Boisot commences his voyage—­Sanguinary combat on the Land—­ Scheiding—­Occupation of that dyke and of the Green Way—­Pauses and Progress of the flotilla—­The Prince visits the fleet—­Horrible sufferings in the city—­Speech of Van der Werf—­Heroism of the inhabitants—­The Admiral’s letters—­The storm—­Advance of Boisot—­ Lammen fortress——­An anxious night—­Midnight retreat of the Spaniards—­The Admiral enters the city—­Thanksgiving in the great church The Prince in Leyden—­Parting words of Valdez—­Mutiny—­Leyden University founded—­The charter—­Inauguration ceremonies.

The invasion of Louis of Nassau had, as already stated, effected the raising of the first siege of Leyden.  That leaguer had lasted from the 31st of October, 1573, to the 21st of March, 1574, when the soldiers were summoned away to defend the frontier.  By an extraordinary and culpable carelessness, the citizens, neglecting the advice of the Prince, had not taken advantage of the breathing time thus afforded them to victual the city and strengthen the garrison.  They seemed to reckon more confidently upon the success of Count Louis than he had even done himself; for it was very probable that, in case of his defeat, the siege would be instantly resumed.  This natural result was not long in following the battle of Mookerheyde.

On the 26th of May, Valdez reappeared before the place, at the head of eight thousand Walloons and Germans, and Leyden was now destined to pass through a fiery ordeal.  This city was one of the most beautiful in the Netherlands.  Placed in the midst of broad and 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 death-bed, had been multiplied into innumerable artificial currents, by which the city was completely interlaced.  These watery streets were shaded by lime trees, poplars,