History of the United Netherlands, 1586a | Page 8

was "the Prince of Parma so dejected
nor so melancholy since he came into these countries, nor so far out of
courage." And it is quite true that Alexander had reason to be
discouraged. He had but eight or nine thousand men, and no money to
pay even this little force. The soldiers were perishing daily, and nearly
all the survivors were described by their chief, as sick or maimed. The
famine in the obedient Provinces was universal, the whole population
was desperate with hunger; and the merchants, frightened by Drake's
successes, and appalled by the ruin all around them, drew their purse-
strings inexorably. "I know not to what saint to devote myself," said
Alexander. He had been compelled, by the movement before Grave, to
withdraw Haultepenne from the projected enterprise against Neusz, and
he was quite aware of the cheerful view which Leicester was inclined
to take of their relative positions. "The English think they are going to
do great things," said he; "and consider themselves masters of the
field."
Nevertheless, on the 11th May, the dejected melancholy man had left

Brussels, and joined his little army, consisting of three thousand
Spaniards and five thousand of all other nations. His veterans, though
unpaid; ragged, and half-starved were in raptures to, have their idolized
commander among them again, and vowed that under his guidance
there was nothing which they could not accomplish. The King's honour,
his own, that of the army, all were pledged to take the city. On the
success of, that enterprise, he said, depended all his past conquests, and
every hope for the future. Leicester and the, English, whom he called
the head and body of the rebel forces, were equally pledged to relieve
the place, and were bent upon meeting him in the field. The Earl had
taken some forts in the Batavia--Betuwe; or "good meadow," which he
pronounced as fertile and about as large as Herefordshire,--and was
now threatening Nymegen, a city which had been gained for Philip by
the last effort of Schenk, on the royalist side. He was now observing
Alexander's demonstrations against Grave; but, after the recent success
in victualling that place, he felt a just confidence in its security.
On the 31st May the trenches were commenced, and on the 5th June the
batteries were opened. The work went rapidly forward when Farnese
was in the field. "The Prince of Parma doth batter it like a Prince," said
Lord North, admiring the enemy with the enthusiasm of an honest
soldier: On the 6th of June, as Alexander rode through the camp to
reconnoitre, previous to an attack. A well-directed cannon ball carried
away the hinder half, of his horse. The Prince fell to the ground, and,
for a moment, dismay was in the Spanish ranks. At the next instant,
though somewhat bruised, he was on his feet again, and, having found
the breach sufficiently promising, he determined on the assault.
As a preliminary measure, he wished to occupy a tower which had been
battered nearly to ruins, situate near the river. Captain de Solis was
ordered, with sixty veterans, to take possession of this tower, and to
"have a look at the countenance of the enemy, without amusing himself
with anything else." The tower was soon secured, but Solis, in
disobedience to his written instructions led his men against the ravelin,
which was still in a state of perfect defence. A musket-ball soon
stretched him dead beneath the wall, and his followers, still attempting
to enter the impracticable breach, were repelled by a shower of stones
and blazing pitch-hoops. Hot sand; too, poured from sieves and baskets,
insinuated itself within the armour of the Spaniards, and occasioned

such exquisite suffering, that many threw themselves into the river to
allay the pain. Emerging refreshed, but confused, they attempted in
vain to renew the onset. Several of the little band were slain, the assault
was quite unsuccessful, and the trumpet sounded a recal. So completely
discomfited were the Spaniards by this repulse, and so thoroughly at
their ease were the besieged, that a soldier let himself down from the
ramparts of the town for the sake of plundering the body of Captain
Solis, who was richly dressed, and, having accomplished this feat, was
quietly helped back again by his comrades from above.
To the surprise of the besiegers, however, on the very next morning
came a request from the governor of the city, Baron Hemart, to
negotiate for a surrender. Alexander was, naturally, but too glad to
grant easy terms, and upon the 7th of June the garrison left the town
with colours displayed and drums beating, and the Prince of Parma
marched into it, at the head of his troops. He found a year's provision
there for six thousand men, while, at the