"Here! here! my brave Beggars, my daring rovers, here are men shut up in
this corner! Bring crowbars, or we and they shall be burnt together!"
The words, though spoken in Flemish, were uttered, I was certain, by an
Englishman, and I thought I knew the voice. At that instant the door,
which had so long resisted our efforts, gave way, and we rushed out,
being seized instantly by the men who had come to our rescue; though, in
the thick wreaths of smoke which curled round us, it was impossible to
recognise their countenances. Confused, and almost stifled by the
smoke, we did not see where we were going till we found ourselves in the
open street, where the fresh air quickly revived us.
In the centre of the square, near the prison, stood on an elevated spot,
a fierce-looking warrior, with a black casque, and a lofty plume on his
head, a huge red beard projecting from his chin and covering his breast,
his shaggy locks hanging down over his shoulders, and his moustache
almost hiding his mouth. He rested on a huge richly-gilt double-edged
sword. His very look was calculated to inspire terror. I asked some of
the men round us who he was.
"That is our Admiral, De la Marck," was the answer.
His appearance was just then more terrible than the words he was
uttering. Indeed, he was assuring the people that no harm would be done
them if they would yield willing obedience to the commands he might
issue in the name of their Prince. A grim look of pleasure lighted up
his countenance when at that instant the governor of the city was
brought before him, having been taken just as he was endeavouring to
make his escape. While I was looking about me, my eye fell on the
officer who had led the party to our rescue from the burning prison. He
turned round at the same moment; I was not quite certain, yet I thought
I could not be mistaken when, in the well-bearded, huge-whiskered,
long-haired seaman I saw before me, I recognised my old friend A'Dale.
"A'Dale!" I shouted.
He sprang towards me, and almost wrung my hands off as he shook them in
his joy at seeing me. "And you are the fellow we got out of the
prison?" he exclaimed. "I little knew who I was saving: however, all is
well that ends well. You shall tell me all about yourself by-and-by,
for we have something to do to keep these citizens in order. The honest
truth is, we have taken the place with scarcely three hundred men--they
thinking that they were attacked by five thousand or so. However, when
they find we wish to treat them well, we shall have plenty on our side,
for few of them have love for Alva and his Tenth Penny."
Before sunset the whole city was brought into obedience to De la Marck.
The gates were again closed, and guards set, to prevent any enemies
entering; and A'Dale and I took possession of a remarkably comfortable
residence, stored with all sorts of good things. The next day De la
Marck employed himself in appointing fresh magistrates, and establishing
a regular government in the name of the Prince.
It is very remarkable that, while the Duke of Alva was negotiating with
Queen Elizabeth, and inducing her to compel the Sea Beggars to quit the
shores of England, hoping certainly in the end to deceive her, the
result of his devices should have been their establishment on the
mainland, and the commencement of that power which was ultimately to
produce his own overthrow and the success of that very cause which it
was his great aim to destroy.