History of Protestantism in the Netherlands - James Aitken Wylie

were sinking with their crews, and the patriot
admiral, having done his work, was sailing away in
triumph. We have recorded the destruction of the
other division of Philip's fleet; this second blow
completed its ruin, and thus the King of Spain was
as far as ever from the supremacy of the sea,
without which, as Requesens assured him, he
would not be able to make himself master of
Holland.
Another act of the great drama now opened.
We have already recorded the fall of Haarlem, after
unexampled horrors. Though little else than a city
of ruins and corpses when it fell to the Spaniards,
its possession gave them great advantages. It was
an encampment between North and South Holland,
and cut the Country in two. They were desirous of
strengthening their position by adding Leyden to
Haarlem, the town next to it on the south, and a
place of yet greater importance. Accordingly, it
was first blockaded by the Spanish troops in the
winter of 1574; but the besiegers were withdrawn
in the spring to defend the frontier, attacked by
Count Louis. After his defeat, and the extinction of
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