towards the public square. Standing there for a moment, he gravely
removed his hat, and then as gravely replaced it upon his head. This was
a preconcerted signal. At the next instant a sailor was seen to rush
across the square, waving a flag in both hands. "All ye who love the
Prince of Orange, take heart and follow me!" he shouted. In a moment
the square was alive. Soldiers and armed citizens suddenly sprang forth,
as if from the bowels of the earth. Bardez led a strong force directly
into the council-chamber, and arrested every one of the astonished
magistrates. At the same time, his confederates had scoured the town and
taken every friar in the city into custody. Monks and senators were then
marched solemnly down towards the quay, where a vessel was in readiness
to receive them. "To the gallows with them--to the gallows with them!"
shouted the populace, as they passed along. "To the gibbet, whither they
have brought many a good fellow before his time!" Such were the openly,
expressed desires of their fellow-citizens, as these dignitaries and holy
men proceeded to what they believed their doom. Although treated
respectfully by those who guarded them, they were filled with
trepidation, for they believed the execrations of the populace the
harbingers of their fate. As they entered the vessel, they felt
convinced that a watery death had been substituted for the gibbet.
Poor old Heinrich Dirckzoon, ex-burgomaster, pathetically rejected a
couple of clean shirts which his careful wife had sent him by the hands
of the housemaid. "Take them away; take them home again," said the
rueful burgomaster; "I shall never need clean shirts again in this
world." He entertained no doubt that it was the intention of his
captors to scuttle the vessel as soon as they had put a little out
to sea, and so to leave them to their fate. No such tragic end was
contemplated, however, and, in fact, never was a complete municipal
revolution accomplished in so good-natured and jocose a manner. The
Catholic magistrates and friars escaped with their fright. They were