aware, that William of Orange could not raise an army to divert the
hostile troops from their aim or relieve the city before the lapse of
several months; they had experienced how little aid was to be expected
from the Queen of England and the Protestant Princes of Germany, while
the horrible fate of Haarlem, a neighboring and more powerful city, rose
as a menacing example before their eyes. But they were conscious of
serving a good cause, relied upon the faith, courage and statesmanship of
Orange, were ready to die rather than allow themselves to be enslaved
body and soul by the Spanish tyrant. Their belief in God's justice was
deep and earnest, and each individual possessed a joyous confidence in
his own resolute, manly strength.

In truth, the men who sat around the table, so daintily decked with
flowers by a woman's hand, understood how to empty the large fluted
goblets so nimbly, that jug after jug of Peter's Malmsey and Rhine
wine were brought up from the cellar, the men who made breaches in the
round pies and huge joints of meat, juicier and more nourishing than any
country except theirs can furnish--did not look as if pallid fear had
brought them together.

The hat is the sign of liberty, and the free man keeps his hat on. So
some of the burgomaster's guests sat at the board with covered heads, and
how admirably the high plaited cap of dark-red velvet, with its rich
ornaments of plumes, suited the fresh old face of the senior Seigneur of
Nordwyk and the clever countenance of his nephew Janus Dousa; how well
the broad-brimmed hat with blue and orange ostrich-feathers--the colors
of the House of Orange--became the waving locks of the young Seigneur of
Warmond, Jan Van Duivenvoorde. How strongly marked and healthful were
the faces of the other men assembled here! Few countenances lacked ruddy
color, and strong vitality, clear intellect, immovable will and firm