History of Protestantism in the Netherlands - James Aitken Wylie

the amnesty were, of course, executed; but the
murders were far from ending with these. The
garrison, with the exception of the Germans, were
massacred; 900 citizens were hanged as if they had
been the vilest malefactors; the sick in the hospitals
were carried out into the courtyard and dispatched;
the eloquent Ripperda, whose patriotic address,
already recorded, had so largely contributed to
excite the men of Haarlem to resist, was beheaded
in company of several noted citizens. Several
hundreds of French, English, and Scotch soldiers
were butchered. Five executioners, each with a
staff of assistants, were kept in constant
employment several days. At last, tired of labors
and sick with horrors, they took 300 victims that
still remained, tied them back to back in couples,
and threw them into the lake.[13] The number put
to death in cold blood is estimated at about 2,300,
in addition to the many thousands that perished in
the siege.
So awful was the tragedy of Haarlem! It wore
outwardly the guise of victory for the Spaniards
and of defeat to the Hollanders; and yet, when
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