consequence. Alva sent orders to his son to leave not a single man alive
in the city, and to burn every house to the ground. The Duke's command
was almost literally obeyed. Don Frederic entered Zutphen, and without a
moment's warning put the whole garrison to the sword. The citizens next
fell a defenceless, prey; some being, stabbed in the streets, some hanged
on the trees which decorated the city, some stripped stark naked; and
turned out into the fields to freeze to death in the wintry night. As
the work of death became too fatiguing for the butchers, five hundred
innocent burghers were tied two and two, back to back, and drowned like
dogs in the river Yssel. A few stragglers who had contrived to elude
pursuit at first, were afterwards taken from their hiding places and hung
upon the gallows by the feet, some of which victims suffered four days
and nights of agony before death came to their relief. It is superfluous
to add that the outrages upon women were no less universal in Zutphen
than they had been in every city captured or occupied by the Spanish
troops. These horrors continued till scarcely chastity or life remained,
throughout the miserable city.

This attack and massacre had been so suddenly executed, that assistance
would hardly have been possible, even had there been disposition to
render it. There was; however, no such disposition. The whole country
was already cowering again, except the provinces of Holland and Zealand.
No one dared approach, even to learn what had occurred within the walls
of the town, for days after its doom had been accomplished. "A wail of
agony was heard above Zutphen last Sunday," wrote Count Nieuwenar,
"a sound as of a mighty massacre, but we know not what has taken place."

Count Van, den Bergh, another brother-in-law of Orange, proved himself
signally unworthy of the illustrious race to which he was allied. He
had, in the earlier part of the year, received the homage of the cities