36. It was impossible, however, to collect all the food into one fund,
or to regulate its consumption by municipal arrangements; and, after
two months had elapsed, famine bad commenced in earnest, and those
devices for mitigating the gnawings of hunger began to be employed
which none but starving men would think of. Not only the flesh of dogs
and horses, but roots, weeds, nettles--everything green that the eye
could detect shooting up from the earth--was ravenously eaten. Many
died of want, and thousands fell ill. Still they held out, and
indignantly rejected the offers made to them by the besiegers.

37. "When we have nothing else," said Dousa, in reply to a message
from Valdez, "we will eat our left hands, keeping the right to fight
with." Once, indeed, hunger seemed to overcome patriotism, and for
some days crowds of gaunt and famished wretches moved along the
streets, crying: "Let the Spaniards in; for God's sake let them in!"
Assembling with hoarse clamor at the house of Van der Werf, they
demanded that he should give them food or surrender. "I have no food
to give you," was the burgomaster's reply, "and I have sworn that I
will not surrender to the Spaniards; but, if my body will be of any
service to you, tear me in pieces, and let the hungriest of you eat
me." The poor wretches went away, and thought no more of
surrendering.

38. The thought of the Prince of Orange night and day was how to
render assistance to the citizens of Leyden--how to convey provisions
into the town. He had collected a large supply, but, with all his
exertions, could not raise a sufficient force to break through the
blockade. In this desperate extremity the Dutch resolved to have
recourse to that expedient which they had kept in reserve until it
should be clear that no other was left--they would break their dikes,