murdered, he had given orders for the burning of the town, and for the
departure of the fleet. The urgent solicitations of Treslong, however,
prevailed, with some difficulty, over De la Marck' original intentions.
It is to that bold and intelligent noble, therefore, more than to any
other individual, that the merit of laying this corner-stone of the
Batavian commonwealth belongs. The enterprise itself was an accident,
but the quick eye of Treslong saw the possibility of a permanent
conquest, where his superior dreamed of nothing beyond a piratical foray.

Meantime Bossu, baffled in his attempt upon Brill, took his way towards
Rotterdam. It was important that he should at least secure such other
cities as the recent success of the rebels might cause to waver in their
allegiance. He found the gates of Rotterdam closed. The authorities
refused to comply with his demand to admit a garrison for the King.
Professing perfect loyalty, the inhabitants very naturally refused to
admit a band of sanguinary Spaniards to enforce their obedience.
Compelled to parley, Bossu resorted to a perfidious stratagem. He
requested permission for his troops to pass through the city without
halting. This was granted by the magistrates, on condition that only a
corporal's command should be admitted at a time. To these terms the
Count affixed his hand and seal. With the admission, however, of the
first detachment, a violent onset was made upon the gate by the whole
Spanish force. The townspeople, not suspecting treachery, were not
prepared to make effective resistance. A stout smith, confronting the
invaders at the gate, almost singly, with his sledge-hammer, was stabbed
to the heart by Bossu with his own hand. The soldiers having thus gained
admittance, rushed through the streets, putting every man to death who
offered the slightest resistance. Within a few minutes four hundred
citizens were murdered. The fate of the women, abandoned now to the
outrage of a brutal soldiery, was worse than death. The capture of