History of Protestantism in the Netherlands - James Aitken Wylie

starvation or death by the Spaniards. The latter they
regarded as by much the more dreadful alternative.
The fighting men, in their despair, resolved on
cutting their way, sword in hand, through the
Spanish camp, in the hope that the enemy would
put a curb on his ferocity when he found only
women and children, and these emaciated and woestruck,
in the city. But the latter, terror-stricken at
the thought of being abandoned, threw themselves
down before their husbands and brothers, and
clinging to their knees, piteously implored them
not to leave them, and so melted them that they
could not carry out their purpose.
They next resolved to form themselves into a
hollow square, and placing their wives and children
in the centre, march out and conquer or die. Toledo
learned the desperate attempts which the men of
Haarlem were revolving; and knowing that there
was nothing of which they were not capable, and
that should it happen that only ruins were left him,
the fruits and honors of his dearly-won victory
would escape him, he straightway sent a trumpeter
to say that on payment of 200,000 guilders the city
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