History of Protestantism in the Netherlands - James Aitken Wylie

harm, for the darkness made the aim uncertain. Not
so, however, the harpoons and long hooks of the
Zealanders; their throw caught, and numbers of the
Spaniards were dragged down into the sea.
Nevertheless, they pursued their dreadful path, now
struggling with the waves, now fighting with their
assailants, and at last, after a march of six hours,
they approached the opposite shore, and with ranks
greatly thinned, emerged from the deep.[3]
Wearied by their fight with the sea and with the
enemy, the landing of the Spaniards might have
been withstood, but accident or treachery gave
them possession of the island. At the moment that
they stepped upon the shore, the commander of the
Zealanders, Charles van Boisot, fell by a shot --
whether from one of his own men, or front the
enemy, cannot now be determined. The incident
caused a panic among the patriots. The strangeness
of the enemy's advance -- for it seemed as if the sea
had miraculously opened to afford them passage --
helped to increase the consternation. The
Zealanders fled in all directions, and the invading
force soon found themselves in possession of
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