brothers with powder and ball. Thus, every human being in the city that
could walk had become a soldier. At last darkness fell upon the scene.
The trumpet of recal was sounded, and the Spaniards, utterly discomfited,
retired from the walls, leaving at least one thousand dead in the
trenches, while only thirteen burghers and twenty-four of the garrison
lost their lives. Thus was Alkmaar preserved for a little longer--thus
a large and well-appointed army signally defeated by a handful of men
fighting for their firesides and altars. Ensign Solis, who had mounted
the breach for an instant, and miraculously escaped with life, after
having been hurled from the battlements, reported that he had seen
"neither helmet nor harness," as he looked down into the city: only some
plain-looking people, generally dressed like fishermen. Yet these plain-
looking fishermen had defeated the veterans of Alva.

The citizens felt encouraged by the results of that day's work.
Moreover, they already possessed such information concerning the
condition of affairs in the camp of the enemy as gave them additional
confidence. A Spaniard, named Jeronimo, had been taken prisoner and
brought into the city. On receiving a promise of pardon, he had revealed
many secrets concerning the position and intentions of the besieging
army. It is painful to add that the prisoner, notwithstanding his
disclosures and the promise under which they had been made, was
treacherously executed. He begged hard for his life as he was led to the
gallows, offering fresh revelations, which, however, after the ample
communications already made, were esteemed superfluous. Finding this of
no avail, he promised his captors, with perfect simplicity, to go down on
his knees and worship the Devil precisely as they did, if by so doing he
might obtain mercy. It may be supposed that such a proposition was not
likely to gain additional favor for him in the eyes of these rigid
Calvinists, and the poor wretch was accordingly hanged.